Park need win to clinch title

A win away to Crawley, along with four bonus points, tomorrow (Saturday) would be enough for Park to seal top spot and with it the one promotion place.

Park captain Paul Lindfield said: “If we win, we go up. If we draw or lose, the likelihood is we won’t. We’re looking forward to the last game and hopefully we’ll finish on a high.”

There was little change to the table, particularly at the top end, after four of last weekend’s five games were abandoned. Park remain seven points clear of second-placed Lewes Priory and nine better off than third-placed Ansty.

Park’s fate therefore lies in their own hands, but if they don’t see off Crawley, they will have to hope that Lewes fail to win at home to second-bottom Lindfield and Ansty don’t triumph at home to sixth-placed Hellingly.

Although Park’s trip to fourth-placed Crawley appears trickier on paper than their rivals’ matches, the opposition has won only one of its last nine games (three of which have been abandoned) and has lost its last three at home.

Park also came out on top by 71 runs when the teams met at Telham in late June with Martin Barry scoring a century. Park lost by 86 runs, however, in the corresponding fixture at Southgate Park last August.

Park finished eighth last year in their first season after coming up from the East Sussex Cricket League and they have already amassed 18 more points this summer despite the wet weather and losing key man Victor Walcott.

“If we could go up to Division Two it would be a massive achievement,” added Lindfield. See today’s Hastings and Battle Observers for the full article.