Horsham and Roffey continue to prosper
Horsham and Roffey’s fine starts to the Sussex Cricket Premier League season have continued.
Horsham visited champions Preston Nomads, pulling off a strong win, bowling them out for a modest 157 then knocking off the runs with time to spare, placing them fourh with 63 points.
Put in, Nomads were in early trouble, Ed Bird dismissing both openers cheaply. Ben Williams chipped in with two wickets, while Will Beer took 3-18 from 10 miserly overs. The remaining spoils were shared by Oxley, and debutant overseas signing from Auckland, left arm quick Ben Lister, Nav Patel top scoring with 32.
After soon being 18-1 in reply, Horsham opener Ben Chappels steadied the ship with a painstaking unbeaten 45, Beer scoring 53 and, leading from the front, Oxley a rapid 41 not out, enabling Horsham to win impressively – by 8 wickets, despite Patel’s economical 2-22 from his 10 over ration.
On Saturday Horsham host joint leaders East Grinstead
Eastbourne optimistically opted to put Roffey in to bat and regretted it, the hosts going on to set another challenging target, Roffey then bowling Eastbourne out to win by 96 runs.
Roffey recovered from 49-2 courtesy of a 125 -un third wicket partnership between opener Rohit Jagota and Davies, who went on the score 102 and 55 respectively, Jagota’s rapid century containing 14 boundaries.
Twenties from former captain Josh Fleming and new keeper Sajeer Nizam enabled Roffey to post 267-9 despite a wobble - Matthew Pope, Jack Meacher and Joseph Sarro taking 2 wickets apiece.
Jagota continued to torment Eastbourne – grabbing an early wicket while conceding just a single from five overs.
Scott Lenham made a patient 62, and Nathan Hover an unbeaten 36, but, with the run rate escalating, wickets fell all too regularly. Harnoop Kalsi finished with 3-35 and Jas Bassan 2-41, Nizam engineering two run outs with the result never being in doubt.
On Sunday Roffey were due to host Bickley Park in the ECB National Club Championship but Bickley conceded. Roffey expect to visit Blackheath next. In the league this Saturday Roffey travel to Three Bridges, while on Sunday they go to Bromley in the Conference Cup.