Cuckfield move into second after Hastings win

Having lost the toss, Cuckfield had to bowl first on what looked to be a good pitch.

After an incredibly fast start, blemished only by the loss of Joe Billings - who was hurried for pace, caught mid wicket - Hastings looked to be taking the game away from Cuckfield. James Pooley hit a couple of huge sixes on his way to 28, taking 18 off one Patterson over.

However, after Tom Weston found his leading edge with Ben Candfield completing a good catch diving back at cover, the Hastings innings fell apart. 51-2 became 52-5 as Weston and Nick Patterson bowled superbly, making use of the little assistance the pitch gave them. Patterson in particular extracted seam movement which, coupled with his unerring accuracy proved to be the downfall of the Hastings middle order.

A lower order resistance from Jed O’Brien lead Hastings to an under-par 120. Patterson finished with 5-37, while Tom Weston took 4-24

Entering their innings by far the happier side, Cuckfield began to accumulate, playing watchfully and capitalising on anything lose despite an impressively quick opening spell from Adam Barton.

After losing Silk for 17, James Mitchinson and Richard Stafford played watchfully, accumulating singles and taking the occasional boundary when the mostly disciplined Hastings attack erred.

Mitchinson notched up a maiden premier league 50, using width superbly, before the introduction of Elliot Hooper saw him edge to slip for 54. Weston followed immediately after shouldering arms. It proved too little too late however, as Stafford (35 not out) and Clark saw Cuckfield home comfortably with 7 wickets in hand.

Cuckfield 2nd XI

Cuckfield won the toss at the Saffrons and elected to bat. The innings was in trouble at 18 for 2 until Darren Senadhira (51) began a fightback, but the middle order wickets fell cheaply until Ben Harris (75) ably supported by Chris Taylor (15) and James Robinson (24) got Cuckfield to 205 all out in the last over. Henry Taylor took 3/56 and Ryan Mansell, Ben Hacker and Chris Jones took two wickets each. For Cuckfield, young Matt Denyer bowled tightly and was rewarded with two early wickets. Chris Jones (86) and Matthew Isepp (54*), however, proceeded to take the game away from the visitors with a partnership of 111 as Eastbourne cruised to victory with 209 for 6 in the 41st over. Denyer finished with 4/37.

Cuckfield 3rd XI v Edenbridge 1st XI

Cuckfield won the toss and put Edenbridge into bat at Blossoms Park. A quick wicket for Chris Osborne on his 3rd XI debut buoyed the visitors, but it was short lived as a big partnership developed between Ben Phillips (64) and Jon Woodman (51) to set a platform for Edenbridge to score 213 for 6 from their 47 overs. Cuckfield skipper, Matt Slinger took 3/61. The Cuckfield reply faltered as Andy Middleton became Toby Fuller’s first victim on the first ball of the innings. Fuller went on to take 4/36 as only a late order resistance between Sam Candfield (30) and Tom Bonanate (41*) helped Cuckfield limp to 138 for 9 in 43 overs. Match Drawn.

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