Middleton were crowned the champions of Sussex Cricket League division 2 on Saturday, despite losing to already relegated Goring. Middleton went into their final game knowing that 12 points would secure the title regardless of results elsewhere. Having won the toss they decided to bat first and lost Sean Heather early with just 13 runs on the board. Ben Hansford joined Rob Willway at the crease and was in a destructive mood, despatching the Goring attack around the park on his way to 61 off just 47 balls. When Willway was dismissed for 14, Jack Lerwill and Hansford continued the onslaught taking the scoring rate to well above 6 an over. The pair put 60 runs on for the third wicket before the introduction of spinner Aaron Wyatt halted Middleton in their tracks, when he dismissed both Hansford and Lerwill (26) in quick succession leaving Middleton 116-4 and some way short of the 200 runs needed to secure the10 batting points needed. Wyatt was getting plenty of turn and bounce out of the wicket and Will Burrows and Jamie Thompson realised that they needed to bat sensibly together knowing that a sizable partnership was needed with an inexperienced lower batting order to come. The partnership was broken after 56 runs had been added, Wyatt having Burrows caught at leg slip for 23. Thompson fell shortly after with the score on 182 having made an important 38 for the team. Runs from Toby Macer and Giles Haythornthwaite pushed the score well over 200 and allowed captain Sean Heather to declare on 238-7 after 48 overs. Goring spinner Wyatt finished with figures of 4-66.
Having secured maximum batting points, Middleton needed to take a minimum of 4 wickets to reach the required 12 points to win the league.It took the introduction of Keelan Shoulders into the attack to break the opening partnership, clean bowling Wyatt (13) with Goring on 34-1. Seven balls later Shoulders had his, and Middleton’s, second wicket having Coutts caught at extra cover for no score. Goring found themselves on 38-2 and a third wicket partnership of 33 between Shane de Beer and Andrew Baumann took the score to 71 before Shoulders removed the latter for 12. Spin was brought into the attack with Giles Haythornthwaite looking to use the turn and bounce the wicket offered. His introduction paid off when Scarfield was bowled with a ball that spun back a long way. Despite taking the 4 wickets, Middleton still wanted to finish the season in style by winning match. Goring overseas player Shane de Beer however had other ideas, smashing 84 from just 76 balls including ten fours and 3 sixes in his impressive innings. His stay at the crease came to an end, when he was stumped by keeper Burrows, off the leg spin bowling of Sean Heather with Goring 135-5. Runs were still flowing but wickets were also being taken which meant it was going to be a close finish. A further four wickets, shared between Thompson (2), Shoulders and Haythornthwaite, left Goring nine wickets down however an important innings of 38 not out from Barnaby Lyons meant the home side knocked off the 239 runs required with 5 overs remaining.
After the game Middleton wicketkeeper Will Burrows ever present in the side this season said, “We are all delighted with what we have achieved this year, everyone has contributed in different games which has been great to see. It would be impossible to mention everyone by name that deserves credit for our success this year ,all we do know is that the hard work starts here for next season.
Middleton Cricket Club 