Cuckfield CC round-up: Superlative ton from Whiteman leads 1st XI to win
Cuckfield captain Josh Hayward had no hesitation batting first on a hard and fast Cuckfield pitch. Sam Whiteman and Harry Clark opened up for Cuckfield and Whitman quickly hit his straps scoring freely all round the ground. Clark fell victim to he spin of Joe Ashmore with the score at 32, Michael Thornely completing a difficult catch.
Ben Candfield joined Whiteman and runs flowed as the pair put on 87 before Candfield was caught behind for a quick-fire 50 from 41 balls. Whiteman, already having passed 50, was joined by Brad Gayler who played an innings of two halves, farming the strike to Whiteman with singles for the first half and smashing boundaries for the second half. Whiteman passed his century before Gayler (60) became the first of three scalps for Tom Haines.
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Hide AdThe partnership of 123 put the home side in the box seat at 242 for 3 after 38 overs. Whiteman finally fell caught behind to Ekstrom for 130 from 113 balls including 15 fours and 3 sixes. Cameos from Greg Wisdom (25*) and Joe Cambridge (27) helped Cuckfield set a total of 339 for 6 from their 50 Overs. Tom Haines took 3/91 for Horsham.
A tight opening spell from Abidine Sakande and Hayward restricted the Horsham openers to just 33 from their first ten overs. Bowling changes saw a change in pace from the batting side as Craig Gallagher began to play his more characteristic fast scoring game. Phil Semmens, making his 1st XI debut, broke the partnership dismissing Haines for 23 and then Gallagher for 56 leaving Horsham 99 for 2 after 20 overs. A run out by Ben Candfield and a third wicket for Semmens, Thornely (30), left the visitors needing nearly 200 from the last 20 overs.
Wickets fell regularly to Jamie Hutchings as he took 5/44 to bowl Horsham out for 236 in the 49th over. Joe Ashmore anchored the remainder of the Horsham innings making 41 and Rhys Beckwith hit 25. Semmens took 3/48 for Cuckfield.
Cuckfield 2nd XI v Bells Yew Green 1st XI: Cuckfield lost by 71 runs at Bells Yew Green. The home side won the toss and batted first at the Nursery Ground making 246 for 7 from their 45 overs. Michael White hit 53 and David White hit 90 as Chris Taylor took 3/37 and Ed Catt took 2/43.
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Hide AdAfter losing an early wicket in the Cuckfield reply, George Galbraith-Gibbons (64) held the Cuckfield inning together, but wickets fell regularly as Cuckfield were bowled out for 175 after 41 overs. Gary Stevens took 5/41 and Iain Allan 2/20
Cuckfield 3rd XI v St Andrews 1st XI: Cuckfield beat St Andrews by 7 wickets at home. The visitors were invited to bat first as Cuckfield won the toss. After losing an early wicket the St Andrews top order consolidated with 32 from James Hayden-Smith and 46 from Nick Ellis. Two wickets each for Goff Baker and Tim Power and 5/51 for Matt Slinger saw St Andrews reach 172 all out in the 40th over. J Davies scored 31 not out in a rear guard action.
Tom Strange (22) and Iain Pringle (19) set the platform, but it was Charlie Best (64*) and Jack Waghorn (36*) who completed the victory for Cuckfield by 7 wickets in the 24th over. Shaun Nichols took 2/34 for St Andrews.
Cuckfield 4th XI v Dormansland 2nd XI: Cuckfield beat Dormansland by 85 runs at the St Clair Cricket Ground. Dormansland won the toss and put Cuckfield into bat. Tom Bonanate was the mainstay of the Cuckfield innings, scoring 129 to take Cuckfield to 232 for 6 from their 40 overs. Richard Loveridge hit 27 and there were two wickets a piece for Andrew Digby and Tom Andrews.
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Hide AdVery tight bowling from Guy Dixon contained the Dormansland reply as he bowled 9 overs 1/4. Nick Hellier (49) and John Holman (33) got the scoreboard moving, but were dismissed by the U13 duo of Jamie Catt and Greg Seed. Tom Digby (21*) continued the momentum, but the home side ran out of overs making 147 for 6 from their 40 overs. Greg Seed took 2/14 for Cuckfield.
T20 Cup: Cuckfield 1st XI v Steyning 1st XI: Cuckfield won narrowly in a game which went to the last ball. Steyning won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Memorial Playing Fields. Cuckfield lost both openers for just 3 runs each and found themselves 18 for 2 after 6 overs. Brad Gayler (37) and George Galbraith-Gibbons put on 40 for the third wicket, but wickets feel regularly. Dan Turner hit 23 to help Cuckfield to a below par 110 for 9 after 20 overs. Andy Isaacs took 3/20 and Ed lamb 2/27 for Steyning.
The Steyning reply started slowly but with wickets in hand the home side looked in control.
At 51 for 2 after 13 overs, Lee Chapman arrived and the innings picked up pace until he was dismissed for 16 with the score 85 for 3 in the 18th over. Wickets fell as the score moved on and Steyning found themselves needing 10 to win off the last over with 5 wickets in hand. A wicket and 8 runs later, Steyning needed 2 to win from the last ball. A run-out sealed an unlikely win for Cuckfield who meet Horsham in the next round on 10 June.