Bognor back on top after win over Chishester Priory Park

Bognor v Chichester

Priory Park

Sussex League division two

The latest iteration of this local derby was a thriller, finishing in near-darkness at the Regis Oval.

Having lost the toss, Bognor were in trouble early at 39-4 as excellent bowling from Martin Ford and Andrew Crookham, as well as an uneven pitch, caused numerous problems.

Taylor Jaycocks (36) steadied the innings and set a platform for contributions all the way down the Bognor line-up, the home side finishing 168-9 despite Ajit Sambhi’s 4-63.

Early wickets were important, and Josh Sargeant (3-33) delivered, knocking over Owen Spicer and the in-form Matt Bennison.

When Chichester captain Sean Dobbs was dismissed for a gutsy 33, the game was finely poised.

It took a moment of sheer brilliance from James Fallick, whose one-handed screamer in the gully was reminiscent of Ben Stokes’ famous Ashes effort, to put Bognor back on top.

A flurry of wickets reduced Chichester to 87-7, but steady batting from Sambhi and Tarryck Gabriel inched them closer to the total.

With the light fading and less than four overs to go, Joe Ashmore knocked over Sambhi for his fifth wicket (5-40), and a run out from Fallick meant Bognor had three overs to take the final wicket.

It took one ball, as Gabriel continued to look for the win, holing out to cow corner for 56, where Ashmore took an excellent catch under pressure.

Bognor won by 28 runs and moved back to the top of division two.

Southwater v West

Wittering

Division 5 West

West Wittering remain top of the table – but Southwater are just ten points behind them after winning the showdown between the sides by two wickets.

Southwater won the toss and elected to bowl.

Wittering lost a wicket in the fourth over so it was up to Gareth Lendrum and Sam Caddy to provide the bedrock.

Lendrum managed to push on for a solid 47.

Zander Muir had the opportunity to show his class with a variety of shots, including elegant drives through the covers, and he scored a quick 28.

The rest of the runs were shared with Carl Tupper and James and Harry Staight chipping in.

West Wittering finished on 161-8 which they felt could have been more convincing.

Harry Staight opened the bowling with Joe Pink and both made the most of the pitch, tempting the batsmen to fish outside off.

The first Southwater wicket fell to Harry Staight.

Tupper and James Staight took over and picked up a wicket each.

Conditions weren’t ideal but the fielding was on point and Zack Stewart, who also bowled a tight spell, was not letting anything get past

him.

But despite Wittering’s superb efforts in the field, they lost by two wickets in the final over.

The match ball was sponsored by Joe Wyatt.

n In the premier division Middleton lost by 104 runs at Cuckfield, all out for 181 chasing 286 to win.

Bognor 2nd v Goring 2nd

Division 7 West

Bognor amassed 308 thanks to a superb 107 from Ollie Adams, supported by 51 from Gary Maskell.

Goring failed to come close as 4-33 from Mark Hood dismissed them for 156.

The victory meant Bognor moved to the top of the division seven west table.

Bognor 3rd v Littlehampton 3rd

Ian Birkbeck’s 83 saw Littlehampton to 186-1 after 40, with Bognor falling 10 runs short despite 47 from Dan Harper and 45 from Joe Delaney.