Destroyer Dave puts Heath in pole position

Heath went into the game trailing their rivals by 19 points but their best bowling performance of the season by David Everett made it 10 wins on the bounce and put them in pole position with two weekends remaining.

With the forecast for rain and knowing that only a win would do, Heath were under plenty of pressure but Everett rose superbly to the challenge, claiming wickets with his first two deliveries.

It was something of a procession after that although Kiwi Shane Wilson-Yelverton tried hard to stem the tide with a battling 22.

But from 39-6 there was no way back as Everett finished with 6-15 in 12.5 overs unchanged and Jethro Menzie weighed in with 3-26 as Lindfield were bowled out for 56.

Home skipper James Pearce then bowled with pace and aggression but Heath were in determined mood and completed victory with six wickets still remaining.

With rain in the air, Heath skipper Callum Smith ran out Jonny Phelps and was then caught himself, while the dangerous Sam Reading got a brute of a ball from Matt Wilson-Yelverton.

Amazingly, the scores were level when the players were taken off because of rain but in the end there were celebrations for Heath, who will now want to stay focused as they take on whipping boys Lewes this Saturday.

Ansty are still battling but their hopes are virtually ended despite a six-wicket win at Rottingdean.

On a benign track, Jack Palser’s second spell brought him four wickets and with Glen Anson taking 3-54 in 19 overs, the hosts were dismissed for 153. Jon Young then made light of the target with a knock of 72.

Burgess Hill’s season is petering out and they went down by 108 runs away to Hellingly at Horsebridge.

Captain Tom Trowbridge put in the hosts on what looked a treacherous wicket but the hosts set a target of 248-9 thanks mainly to a third wicket stand of 103 between Zayne Bux (64) and George Hook (80).

Hugh Warmisham finished with 5-52 and with rain in the air, Hill knew they had a good chance to avoid defeat, which was their No 1 aim as Hellingly were the only team who could deny them a top half finish.

But from 80-3, wickets then started to fall to Adam Devlin and he finished with 5-43 to send them tumbling to 140 all out.