Roffey one win from Sussex Premier title – Horsham hopes all but over

Roffey travelled to current Champions Preston Nomads last Saturday anticipating a tough game from their in form hosts, only to brush them aside, bowling Nomads out for barely half of Roffey’s 301-3, skipper Matt Davies saying: “This was an excellent team win for us, Noz (Mike Norris) batted superbly, and we were clinical in the field with all of our bowlers performing, fielding well, holding 7 catches. The win places us 28 points clear at the top of the table, but there are still two games to go and we’ve got (second-placed) East Grinstead at home on Saturday.”

Nomads inserted Roffey, and although they made an early inroad, a second wicket stand of 80, followed by a partnership of 175 for the next wicket enabled Roffey to post a killer target, courtesy of 124 from Norris, including 8 fours and 5 sixes, and an unbeaten 86 from Davies, Usman Khan chipping in with 38 in between.

Replying, Nomads put on 53 before losing a wicket, but, progress was contained and despite thirties from wicketkeeper Rehan Afridi and Ammad Khan, once Jas Bassan had broken the initial partnership, Roffey cut through any remaining resistance at regular intervals. After Bassan, now with 46 scalps in his debut Premiership season, had taken 3-21, Will Fenwick 3-44 and Harnoop Kalsi 2-23, George Fleming polished off the innings, Rohit Jagota catching the last two batsmen. Matt Davies told the County Times: “Noz has been in great form since coming back from injury, focusing as an opener, and it was great to see him getting a hundred after a run of good scores. It was also good to have Will Fenwick taking wickets – he’s been a bit unlucky with team selection restricting his opportunities, but he’s on Sussex’s radar with an appearance for the county Under 18 side. It’s a huge game versus East Grinstead on Saturday, and we’re all fired up for that.” Meanwhile, expressing relief at notching up a ton, Mike Norris added: “Finally!”

Horsham’s chance of winning the league on their comeback from relegation was severely dented by Bognor at Cricketfield Road last Saturday. Only previously beaten once at home this season, Horsham have bowled out the opposition five times to win in style but this time they came up against Bognor skipper Ryan Maskell, the crucial difference between the two sides, Maskell’s unbeaten 125 romping Bognor to victory with 13.3 overs to spare.

Batting first, although eight batsmen reached double figures, Horsham, held back in the power play, never really got into top gear, Captain Nick Oxley top scoring with 47 while Nicholas Ballamy took 4-29 from his 10 over allowance. Thinking that their 214 run target was short of what they had hoped for, Horsham had found the dry end of season wicket was not entirely straightforward, but Maskell was in a class of his own. Having notched up the Premiership’s highest individual score of the season – 178 v Three Bridges in a 50 over game the week before – as a former Horsham player, joining the club to gain Premiership experience, perhaps he had a point to prove. He was certainly in prime form again, bringing up his century with a six, and hitting 12 fours and 7 life-endangering maximums, the next highest teammate’s score being 25.

Philosophical in defeat, Nick Oxley told the County Times: “We felt we were perhaps 50 runs light and we needed to take early wickets. One or two shots went up in the air, which might have gone to hand on another day, but when someone bats like Ryan it’s very difficult!” Maskell added: “We got off to a slightly shaky start, but the wicket got better and better and I’m seeing it very well at the moment.”

Horsham slip to third on 344 points, ahead of new boys Bognor. Roffey and East Grinstead both won, Roffey remaining top – with 387 points, 28 ahead of Grinstead. On Saturday, the penultimate week of the league season, Horsham travel to 8th-placed Eastbourne, possibly without the services of their Kiwi overseas opening bowler, Ben Lister, who, having been selected for the New Zealand A tour, is awaiting his travel visa. Meanwhile, at the foot of the table, although not statistically certain, Brighton and Hastings seem destined for relegation with 189 and 179 points respectively, chasing Eastbourne’s 229.