Simpson ton sees of Stirlands

After two early season losses and one rained off match the pressure was on Hill to get some much needed points on the board this week.

They responded in fine style dominating Stirlands from start to finish with bat and ball to bring back maximum points all the way from Chichester.

The day started well with Tom Trowbridge winning the toss and electing to bat and despite a large reshuffle in the batting order usual openers Trowbridge and Jack Simpson took to the crease. Both batted sensibly taking few risks whilst still maintaining a very decent run rate taking Hill to 48-0 from the first 10 overs. The opening partnership of 73 was finally broken when Struan Cameron trapped Trowbridge lbw for 37 with his left arm spin however it was but a mere blip on the scorebook. Joe Maskell joined Simpson and despite a period of watchful batting the pair steadily took Hill on to 161 with Simpson passing fifty and accelerating to his 3rd league hundred for Burgess Hill in relatively quick time, three huge sixes into and over the clubhouse roof the highlight of a fantastically well composed innings. Simpson fell for 101 but Maskell took on the mantle of lead batsmen with relish and brought up his own half century including two sixes of his own. Five late wickets fell as Hill went in search of some quick runs at the death and they eventually declared 227-7. Maskell the last wicket to fall, out for 59, Danny Cox and Struan Cameron taking three wickets a piece for Stirlands.

Stirlands started their reply cautiously, largely due to some very tight bowling from Hugh Warmisham and Joe Maskell. Making his own claim for man of the match Maskell looked especially threatening with his medium pace swingers and sure enough he forced the first wicket, taking Will Gubbins’ outside edge and Ian Simpson obliged at second slip. Warmisham was causing the left handed Stuart Hanks a whole host of problems at the other end and he’d already had him dropped once before finally finding the edge and again Maskell was involved taking a sharp catch above his head at 3rd slip. Maskell then continued his fine performance, bowling Danny Cox and nearly getting new batsmen Aaron Kinchen caught behind first ball. Stirlands inched their way to 41-3 but overs were rapidly running out as Warmisham continued to bowl well and Daniel Yates, on to replace Maskell, was extracting plenty of turn and bounce making runs very hard to come by.

When Yates and Warmisham struck in quick succession leaving Stirlands five down with just 45 on the board the rest of the Stirlands order collapsed under the pressure to 65 all out. Yates finished with the impressive figures of 3-7 from 7 overs and Jack Simpson followed on from Warmisham’s opening spell of 2-25 from 13 overs to take 3-8 from just 4 overs to wrap up the tail and the man of the match performance.

The win takes Hill off the foot of the table up three places to 7th and whilst Stirlands still find themselves winless this season.

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