Crows swoop for vital victory

Seven-wicket hero Bradley Payne bowling for Crowhurst Park against Chichester Priory Park. Picture by Steve Hunnisett (SUS-141207-174458002)

Payne took seven wickets to inspire Park to a five-wicket success at home to Chichester Priory Park in Sussex Cricket League Division Two.

Park were just one point above their opponents in the final safe spot of eighth at the start of play, but the victory has given them a 29-point cushion over Chichester and moved them up a place to seventh.

Chichester were all out for 101 in 40.1 overs after being asked to bat on a very green wicket. The visitors were soon in trouble as Payne picked up the first two wickets with the score 15.

Paul Brookes dismissed Matthew Bennison four runs later and when Payne (7-48 off 17 overs) had Chichester captain George Stephens caught behind by Kellen Powell, Chichester were 28-4.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors as they lost two more wickets for one run to be 35-6, Payne claiming both of them to take his wicket tally to five.

Daniel Joseph (22) and Sean Dobbs (17) led a mini-revival with a seventh wicket stand of 39 until both men fell with the score 74, Joseph becoming Payne’s sixth victim and Dobbs then falling LBW to Ed Smissen.

Payne completed his seven-wicket haul by having Martin Lee caught behind three runs later. Although Chichester’s last pair put on 24 to take the score into three figures, Brookes finished the innings off thanks to a Powell stumping.

Park got off to a steady start in reply with an opening partnership of 36 between Nick Peters (21) and Dale Payne (16), but then lost five wickets for 14 runs, four of them to Matthew Reynolds.

Clive Tong and Smissen steadied the ship, however, and then guided Park to victory with an unbroken 52-run partnership for the sixth wicket, Tong finishing 46 not out and Smissen unbeaten on nine.

Standings (all played 10 matches): 1 Middleton 279pts, 2 Billingshurst 200, 3 Ifield 164, 4 St James’s Montefiore 163, 5 Worthing 152, 6 Lindfield 150, 7 CROWHURST PARK 123, 8 Findon 107, 9 Chichester Priory Park 94, 10 Goring-By-Sea 75.

Park are away to Dinton in the last 16 of the Davidstow Village Cup this afternoon. The match was due to have taken place at Park last Sunday, but was postponed because of rain and switched to Dinton as a result.