Maximum point win for Roffey, Horsham struggle
A maximum – 30 point – win at Three Bridges maintained Roffey’s position as joint leader on level pegging, 118 points, with the only other all-conquering side, East Grinstead, comfortably clear of the chasing pack.
But, it was a close game, Roffey winning by eight runs with an over to spare, skipper Matt Davies saying: “It was a really good game of cricket, which could have gone either way on a good pitch. It’s a difficult ground to defend and Bridges play well at home, so we were relieved to come away with a win.”
Bridges put Roffey in, and after the loss of two early wickets, good progress followed, with skipper Davies making 91, enjoying a fruitful partnership with Rohit Jagota (54). Wicketkeeper Sajeer Nizam then batted productively with George Fleming - whose 46 not out allowed Roffey to post a challenging 268 run targetIn reply, openers Conor Golding and Jordan Shaw made 30s, but at 121-5 one over short of the half way mark, Roffey were in control, but Bridges skipper Joe Walker had other ideas, reinvigorating the chase with 80.
A late order 39 and 24 from Oliver Blandford and Michael Rose respectively kept Bridges in the hunt, but two late wickets from Fleming after earlier inroads made by Jas Bassan, and, especially Harnoop Kalsi, enabled Roffey to bowl out Bridges for 259 with an over in hand, Davies telling
the County Times: “We were looking to get around 280/300, but kept losing wickets once Rohit was out.
“Then they got off to a good start and the game was in the balance, but we kept chipping away, and George bowled well to the short boundary at the death, enabling us to scrape over the line. "
Roffey bowed out of the National Cup at Kent side
Blackheath on Sunday. Usman Khan hit a magnificent 98-ball 147 as Roffey posted 260-9. Blackheath’s welljudged run chase easing them across the line with 7 balls remaining.
Unbeaten East Grinstead had no hesitation in opting to bat at Horsham’s Cricketfield Road HQ last Saturday, and while they never rampaged away, they nevertheless set a challenging target, thanks to major innings from Will Adkin (132) and Harry Finch (58), depleted Horsham falling short by 47 runs despite fifties from Joe Willis and Ben Lister.
Ben Williams finished with four wickets and Jonny Whiting three, but without front line batsmen Thornely and Nick Oxley, plus Will Beer on Sussex duty, getting 284 to win against Grinstead’s strong attack was going to be a stiff task.
A good start was required from which to launch the run chase, but Horsham were soon 0-2 with both openers back in the pavilion. Willis and Ollie Haines set about repairing the damage, with 52 and 39 respectively, but a mid-order wobble reduced Horsham to 141-7. Ben Lister with 66, and Nick Cooper (26) then mounted a rearguard action, but, with seven wickets shared between Tom Linley, Lewis Hatchett, and Andy Barr, Horsham were bowled out with three overs unused.
Elsewhere, Bognor beat Hastings by 54 runs, Eastbourne lost to Brighton by 28 runs, and reigning champions Preston Nomads chased down Middleton’s 324.