East Sussex cricket: Sidley return home after decade away – and Hailsham girls are county champs

A Sidley XI will take on a Chris Milton XI at St Mary's Recreation Ground in St Mary's Lane this coming Sunday - the club's first home match in the town since being forced to leave Gullivers Sports Ground in 2013.

The memorial match, which starts at 1pm, will be a 20-overs-per-side affair and it will be in aid of the Sussex Cancer Fund.

Sidley's junior players will be in action beforehand from 10.30am as they too get to play their part in what promises to be a memorable occasion.

The club's primary junior sponsors, Pebbles on the Beach, will be running a barbecue and bar from midday, and there will also be a raffle.

A number of past and present Sidley players and members are expected to attend as the club honours Chris, a hugely-popular and long-serving player and club official who sadly died in 2021.

The day will also commemorate Keith Bradshaw and Cavan O'Connor snr, two other members of the Sidley CC family who were lost in the same year as Chris.

And it will be a celebration of the club's achievement of bringing cricket back to its local community after a decade away.

Sidley, of course, used to play at Gullivers for many years until that site closed in April 2013 following the demise of Sidley Sports & Social Club amid financial difficulties.

Home games have since been played several miles away at Sandhurst Recreation Ground in Hastings.

A team of club members, led by vice-chair Jamie Ramsden, have worked tirelessly to secure the club a new home in its local community - and their considerable efforts over a lengthy period of time are now bearing fruit.

Sidley started using St Mary's Recreation Ground for junior training last summer and a new cricket square was laid at the site last August.

But the absence of changing facilities has meant that home games have continued to be played in Hastings.

That problem has now been overcome, however, because changing facilities - in the form of a shipping container - were installed at St Mary's earlier this month.

Sidley's senior first and second teams will play their remaining 2023 home league fixtures in Hastings, but all home games from next season onwards will take place at St Mary's.

Anybody attending Sunday's match is asked to note that parking will be on-site at the recreation ground and barbecue payments will be card only. The match ball is sponsored by the Ramsden family.

Both matches involving Sidley's two senior teams were abandoned due to rain last weekend.

Just 12 overs were possible in the front side's Sussex Cricket League Division 11 East (South) clash at home to Pett II. Pett were 77-1 when play was halted.

The second team game away to Herstmonceux III in Division 12 East (South East) did at least reach the second innings before the elements intervened.

Lawrie Wray (39) and Dan Reason (36) led the way as Sidley were all out for 193 batting first before Herstmonceux got to 34-2 after eight overs in reply.

HAILSHAM CC

Hailsham Cricket Club’s under-15 girls were crowned Sussex county champions away at Ansty Cricket Club.

Skipper SB won the toss and made the bold decision to bat first and try to put the pressure on with a decent total on the board.

They did exactly that, finishing with 137 for 5 off their 16 overs - with RS (40*) and CF (29) the backbone of the innings.

The girls came out looking hungry for wickets and were rewarded straightaway with SB (2-6) grabbing two wickets in the first over.

Not to be outdone, MC came on and blasted the rest of the Ansty order away, finishing with the amazing figures of 5-4 off 2 overs to leave Ansty all out for 13 in just 25 balls.

Speaking after the final, coach Jim Wise was ecstatic, saying: “That was just outstanding, a really mature approach to their innings, followed by an awesome display of bowling and fielding.

"I’m so proud of these girls, what a team!”.

Hailsham will now represent Sussex in the U15 Girls’ Southern Regional Finals Day on the August Bank Holiday at Wimbledon CC.

Hailsham v Hastings Priory

Sussex Division 4 East

Hailsham hosted Hastings looking to beat the rain forecast to continue their promotion push.

Skipper Andrew Anthony win the toss and elected to field. Anthony and Bellett took the new ball, with the skipper removing Pooley early on, nicked behind and smartly taken by the wrong-footed Wilkinson.

Hastings took on the powerplay very aggressively, but Tutt saw off Smith for 20, with another catch for Wilkinson.

With the score 147-3, Anthony turned to Jason Tibble, who blew the middle to lower order of Hastings away, securing his first five-fer for the club with 5-14 from 7.4 overs, bowling Hastings out for 190.

Hailsham were always mindful of the threat of rain but took the attack to the bowlers. All of the top three got starts but 16 overs in the rain became too much, and the game was abandoned.

Credit to both sets of teams and umpires for trying to get a game in. Hailsham go to Dome Mission this week.

Crowhurst Park 2nd XI 112-2; Bexhill 2nd XI 109 all out

Electing to bat first, Bexhill suffered the loss of an early wicket as Charlie Ferguson (2-17) broke through.

Despite stout resistance from Harry Strugnell (34) the visitors could not muster the conditions, losing wickets at regular intervals.

For the second week running Likhith Mestha (5-25) was the bowler to make the real difference, clean bowling all five of his mesmerised victims.

Only Andrew Jay (21) offered further resistance as the home side despatch Bexhill for 109.

In reply Park knew the weather was closing in. In-form openers David Rayment (48) accompanied by Joe Lovell (48*) laid a quick foundation.

To their credit Bexhill sportingly toiled away in the worsening conditions, and with just 10 runs required picked up two consolation wickets, Adam Smith (1-22) and Taylor Wickenson (1-25) the successful bowlers.

Park reached the 110-run target in the 17th over to secure 30 points.

Willingdon 2nd XI 170 all out; Battle 2 nd XI 140 all out

In many ways, the real surprise of this match was the fact that it found its way to a conclusion on an afternoon where slanting rain was the dominant meteorological feature.

Having chosen to bat first under grey blustery skies, Willingdon made good progress before the first bout of precipitation arrived from the west, with Duncan Ray (59) passing the half-century mark.

To many observers, that looked like it for the day at 78-1, and tea was taken with some evidence of over-indulgence on the cakes in the pavilion, hardly shocking given the conditions outside.

However, to everyone’s surprise, the rain eased and play was resumed, with the pitch now ‘freshened’ by a reasonable soaking.

Wickets now fell regularly as Roger Soan (4-33) and Kyle Ridgway (3-26) exerted considerable pressure. A late order rally with Dan Lindop 940) prominent, despite the efforts of Sanjay Sharma (2-26), gave the visitors the upper-hand.

Battle’s reply faltered somewhat as Willingdon chose to bowl their openers through, with Richard Cooknell (2-27) and Manoj Joseph both bowling good lines and relying on the variations in a damp pitch to help them.

At 60-6, the game looked up for Battle, but a determined 7th wicket stand of 57 between Roger Soan, smiting the ball cleanly to put the field out on the boundary, and a sage knock from Steve Huggins (30*) began to draw the home side back into the game as the rain now began to fall heavily.

In the end, Soan was trapped for 67 to Connor Pickard and Calum Brown nipped out the tail to leave Willingdon victors by 30 runs.

Crowhurst Park 4th 135-4; Pevensey 3rd 131

Electing to bowl first, Park needed a strong performance from their attack.

Early wickets prevailed as Chris Emary (2-17) answered the call. Paul Board (24) batted stoutly as did Josh Perry (30), providing much needed resistance.

Park used five bowlers, all taking wickets, the best being quickie Michael Hambridge (3-10), as Pevensey were dismissed for131 in 24 overs.

In reply Park knew quick runs were needed. Wickets fell at 37-1 (James Gardner 17) 84-2 (Seb Osmond 22).

John Lovell (57) and Will Raisey (28*) took the score to 116 when the visitors took two late wickets.

Very soon after Park reached their target, the rain began to fall.

Pevensey’s wicket takers were Alex Martin (3-30) and Jake Lambert (1-24)

Brookland 215-9; Winchelsea 99

Winchelsea travelled to Brookland for their latest Sunday friendly fixture and were asked to field first in a 35-over per side match.

Winchelsea made a good start with a wicket in the first over followed a few overs later by the dismissal of S Balcomb (15) through the bowling of James Archer (2-42).

This bought J Savage (76) and C Hadaway (87) together and they accelerated the scoring before both fell to the bowling of Michael Boiling, claiming his first wickets for Winchelsea.

Boiling took a further two wickets to finish with 4-27, and a five-wicket haul would have been completed if only a catch in the final overs hadn’t been dropped. Brookland finished on 215-9 with Will Wheeler (3-10) the other wicket taker.

A steady start to the run chase saw Winchelsea have 25 on the board before the first wicket fell.

Wickets fell at regular intervals as only opener Will Morfitt got to double figures, carrying his bat with 57 to his name. Winchelsea were dismissed for 99.

Hailsham 5th v Barcombe 2nd

Div 12 East (South)

Hailsham 123 all out in 24.2 overs; Danny Colbourne 4-21, Keith Savage 2-11, Dave Apps 2-31, Ade Broadway 2-50; Barcombe 127-1 in 19.4 overs, Ade Broadway 49, Keith Savage 33no. Barcombe won by 9 wkts.