VIDEO: Down strengthen their hand

Down were six-wicket winners at Palmers, where Warren Barker (126) hit his maiden league century to make light of a target of 216 in which Steve Ward took 5-74 and Kevin Hawkins 4-32.

Ashdown Forest amassed 304-2 as Leif Powis (140no) and Stefan Gooch (103) made hay while the sun shone but they used all 47 overs and in four overs less, visiting Colemans Hatch made 180-7. Wes Lind took 5-64 as Steve Pollard (67) proved the main stumbling block.

Streat stayed in second place despite losing at home to Poynings, who put them in and were left to chase 217-8 after good contributions from Gavin Hall (54), Mickey Bell (51) and Ravi Kumar (49no).

Joe Cutress was the hero of the five-wicket win as he followed up his 4-43 with 67. Sean Latham contributed 60.

In the other match there were well in excess of 400 runs scored for the loss of only 10 wickets as lowly Edenbridge drew at Balcombe.

In Division 2 the door opened up enough for Dormansland to go top as previous leaders East Grinstead III were held at Bolney.

Michael Phillips (4-64 and 46) was prominent in Dormansland’s six-wicket win at Smallfield, for whom Sam (52) and Luke Blackburn (47) were the leading scorers in a total of 215-8.

Half centuries from Jack Collins and Paul Osborn helped Bolney reply with 231-7 after Grinstead set them a target of 264-8 thanks chiefly to Regan Derham (84) and Jeremy Tobin (50).

Chailey were no match for visitors Balcombe II as they were bowled out for 83 in the 34th over by Bill Anthony (5-33) and Gregg Biggs (4-34). That was in response to a total of 223-6 that owed much to Shaun Gallagher (82) and Gavin Elliott (70).

Moving up from near the foot of the table were Hurstpierpoint and Staplefield.

Hurst had Dave Parsons (70), John Pike (57) and Steve Weller (56) to thank for their win at Horsted Keynes, while Shahzad Ahmed (91 and 5-42)was the all-round hero as Staplefield beat Cuckfield III.

It all squeezed up in Division 3, where only 34 points separate all bar the bottom two.

Cowden remain top but saw their lead cut as they suffered their first defeat. They lost at Lindfield III despite the efforts of Jon Etheridge (77). Colin Mayes (69no) starred for Lindfield.

Roffey moved up one place to second after winning by four wickets at Burgess Hill III, while Preston Nomads IV surrendered their place despite winning at Copthorne.

East Grinstead IV edged out visitors Ardingly by nine runs in a low scoring game, where home No 11 Graham Beswick made an unbeaten 42 out of a meagre total of 125.

The top three in Division 4 all lost, with leaders Ditchling now having won once in only four games, two of which ended in defeat. Josh Boakes (79) helped Edenbridge II beat them by five wickets despite an undefeated 60 by Jamie Funnell.

Palmers also failed somewhat surprisingly at bottom club St James’s III, for whom Sam Horsley (50no) and Peter Masters (5-15) starred. That win moved Saints off the lowest rung.

Streat II also slipped to defeat by seven wickets at Crawley Down II, where Sam Jackson (52no) and Adam Robinson (38) completed the job.

Lloyd Fielder (4-41 and a top scoring 30) was an unlucky loser for Lindfield IV and Cuckfield IV.

The top two in Division 5 each took maximum points to mean there is no change.

Leaders Balcombe III were nine-wicket winners at home to Keymer & Hassocks III, who had no answer to the bowling of Ron Clarke (6-33), while Lingfield IV won almost as easily after bowling out hosts Ardingly II for 106.

Forest Row III remain third despite becoming only the second side to lose to bottom club Smallfield II.

James Scott took 5-7, including a quadruple wicket maiden, as Dormansland II beat Horsted Keynes II.