Middleton, Bognor and Pagham enjoy last-day victories

By The Newsroom
Published 6th Sep 2018, 10:08 BST
Updated 6th Sep 2018, 11:12 BST
Pagham celebrate a wicket at Stirlands, where they won on the final day / Picture by Kate ShemiltPagham celebrate a wicket at Stirlands, where they won on the final day / Picture by Kate Shemilt
Pagham celebrate a wicket at Stirlands, where they won on the final day / Picture by Kate Shemilt
The final weekend of the Sussex League cricket season didn't bring too many dramas for our local sides in the top five divisions - all have retained their status for 2019.

Here's all the final-weekend reports...

Middleton v Ifield

Sussex premier

Middleton won their final game of the season at home against bottom side Ifield.

Skipper Sean Heather elected to bat. He opened twith 17-year-old Jack Dawling and they put on an opening stand of 252, comfortably the highest Middleton stand of the season.

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Heather was first to go for 127 and was followed in the following over by Dawling for 102, his maiden premier league century.

Mahesh Rawat left just seven overs scored the four runs necessary to take him past 1,000 league runs for the season.

Middleton finished on 316-4 from their 50 overs –their highest score of the season.

The Ifield openers put on 55 for the first wicket before Craig Fowle took the first of his four wickets. Ifield lost their next six wickets for just 39 runs.

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Middleton won in the 48th over when opener Akshay Ramani was caught by Patrick Colvin off his own bowling for a credible 80, Ifield finishing on 150.

Chichester Priory Park v St James

Division two

With their position in division two secured for another year, Chichester Priory Park didn’t have a lot to play for in their final game, other than personal pride. St James’ Montefiore though had a slim chance of promotion to the Premier League.

The toss was won by home captain Matt Geffen, who elected to bowl first.

St James’ innings was built on a number of moderate partnership and plenty of scores in the 30s. Henry Sims and Hector Loughton top scored with 33 each with Sam Copper chipping in with 29 off 16 balls.

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They were assisted by wayward bowling from the home attack, a total of 35 wides helping boost the visitors’ score to 219-9 at the close.

In reply the majority of Chichester’s batsmen appeared eager to get the winter break under way. They slipped to 8-5 and finally 37-8 as the season threatened to end with a whimper.

Only an 81-run partnership for the final wicket between Geffen (26no) and the side’s leading run scorer of 2018 Matt Bennison (61) saved Chichester from humiliation.

Despite the resistance, it only delayed the inevitable. Chichester were finally bowled out for 138, giving St James’s victory by 81 runs.

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A disappointing end to the season saw Chichester finish seventh in the table on 265 points, but their primary aim of remaining in division two has been achieved.

There are plenty of developmental areas for the team though if they wish to continue on their climb back towards the Premier League. Hopefully 2019 will bring a season of consistent success.

Safe! That's despite defeatBognor v Bexhill

Division 2

The last game of the year at the Regis Oval saw Ryan Maskell’s men host Bexhill with the visitors needing a win to stay in the division.