AJ clubs Ton Off Leaders

Jones hit 109 and then collected 4-50 to play a starring role in the 28-run win which was achieved when skipper Stuart Stoneham trapped Tim Power leg-before for 16 off the final possible ball of the match.

Jones' 109 was made in two hours with 18 boundaries and two sixes. He was joined in a sixth-wicket stand of 75 by the returning Darren Mathura, who clubbed an unbeaten 58 which included two sixes, as well as five fours.

Having been given a steady start by Richard Vokes and Nick McGeorge, who found himself promoted to number three after his promising showing last week, things fell away to 160-5 which was where Jones and Mathura took over.

Cuckfield's innings revolved around Jason Oates, who smashed 64 in a bid to take his side to victory. But his hard-hit knock ended with him being castled by Jones, having scored 64 out of 78 while at the crease.

However, the seam bowling of Jones and Stoneham combined to take seven wickets after Rive had uncorked the bottle by getting rid of Richard Amer.

The fact that Cuckfield's next highest scorer was Jack Waghorn with 20 goes some way to explaining why the leaders were dethroned, with Littlehampton gaining revenge for defeat suffered in the final over at the Sportsfield earlier in the season.

THERE was success, too, for Littlehampton's fourth team in the West Sussex League at Chippingdale seconds. Paul Hewitt with 4-39 helped restrict Chipps to 155, then Keith Kirkham (48 not out) and Chris Heberlein (with a mature 46) took Littlehampton to a four-wicket victory.