Belhus Cricket Club News Flash

A total of 46 members, including 16 junior players, joined Belhus Cricket Club's eleventh youth tour of Sussex. Based at Roedean School overlooking the English Channel, this was one of the more successful tours staged by the club in recent years, with victories being achieved at St. Matthias, Henfield and also against a strong Lewes Priory team. There was just one defeat at Littlehampton. The tour party found the facilities on offer at the host clubs to be of an exceptionally high standard. Outside of their cricket activities the juniors took part in Badminton, Ten-pin bowling, Golf, Swimming, Water Polo and Tennis. The Belhus club would like to acknowledge the support of its sponsors for making this tour possible, in particular the Newbery Bat Company of Sussex for equipment donations.

Belhus U17 209-7 dec
St Matthias U17 93 all out

Belhus started strongly in their first game played at the University of Sussex sports ground at Falmer. The tourists were tottering at 85 for 5, but then George Brooks joined Gavin Jefferies and these two both scored 63 in a partnership worth 83 for the sixth wicket. The stand was finally broken when opener Jefferies was dismissed, bowled by Yates having scored nine boundaries. Other Belhus batsmen in double figures were Dale Kenyon with 15 and Danny Norris, who scored 29. Norris continued his good work after tea as he claimed 5-17 from seven overs (one maiden) to prevent any chance of a home victory, but Belhus still had work to do as the St. Matthias tail made a valiant effort to earn a draw. Taylor, batting at eight, carefully farmed the strike as number nine bat was brilliantly caught at short mid-wicket off the bowling of Ryan Wells for 4 while Taylor himself was last man out, dismissed by Kenyon in a thrilling last-over conclusion as Belhus won with the hosts just four balls from safety. Home batsmen in double figures were Yates, 14, Salkild, 26 and Taylor, 15. Supporting Norris with the ball for Belhus were Tony Ellis, 1-21 from four overs, Billy Winter 1-13 from five overs (one maiden), Wells 1-8 from four overs (two maidens) and Kenyon 1-11 from 5.2 overs which also included two maidens.

Littlehampton, Clapham & Patching U17 175-4
Belhus U17 128-8

Rain interruptions restricted this fixture to 25 overs per side. The hosts put on 65 for the first wicket through Askew, 45 and James, 69, then Greig scored 21, Budd 17 as Littlehampton piled on the runs. For Belhus, Billy Winter was top bowler with 2-29 from five overs while George Brooks and Danny Joyce picked up 1-29 and 1-14 respectively. After a tea break extended by rain, Belhus had no fewer than six batsmen in double figures but none could produce a match-winning performance. Brooks struck 14, Winter 18, Joyce 12, Gavin Jefferies top scored with 26, Michael Fogg hit 15 and Jason Peters contributed 14 runs to the total. For Littlehampton, Clifton took 2-28, Askew 2-10 and Parnell 2-12.

Belhus U17 232-7
Henfield U17 202 all out

In a superb afternoon's cricket hampered only by cold, gale-force winds, Michael Fogg struck a maiden century by hitting nine fours and six sixes in a fine innings of 101. Jason Peters cashed in too on the picturesque Henfield ground by scoring 51 in a knock which included three sixes and three fours. Ryan Prendergast and Dale Kenyon gave valuable support with their willow use by scoring 17 and 12 respectively. In reply, Henfield's Scott made 53 and Gue hit 34 as Kenyon took 3-26 from eight overs (one maiden) and Peters 3-6 from four overs (one maiden), these two were supported well by Christopher Sharp 1-45, Owen Jefferies 1-23 and Billy Winter, one wicket for just two runs. Harry Levy came on to bowl the final over with the last Henfield pair at the crease, all it took was one "Levy special" to dismiss the eleventh Henfield man, caught behind by Norris, to conclude a fine match at another fine venue.

Belhus B 204 all out
Belhus A 172-9

With their scheduled match at the Gullivers Sports Ground, Bexhill, cancelled by their Sidley CC hosts due to a waterlogged pitch, the tourists remained at Roedean where they were offered use of the outdoor cricket pitch and nets. By this time the Summer storm had passed, leaving the contest to proceed with the English Channel's millpond flatness providing a surreal backdrop to the game. Players and spectators could be forgiven for thinking this was Barbados rather than Brighton. In the first innings, batsmen in double figures were Dale Kenyon, 13, Danny Chandler, 57, Ian Wright 37 and Michael Cansdale with 17. In reply, contributions with the bat came from George Brooks 18, Ryan Wells 16, Danny Joyce, 48, Brian Edwards 18, Michael Fogg 20 and Danny Norris was undefeated on 16 at the close.Top wicket-takers in the match were Fogg 3-13, Edwards 3-15, Tony Ellis 2-20, Harry Levy 2-14, Ricki Ellis 2-9, Ryan Prendergast 2-19 while brothers Gavin and Owen Jefferies both returned 1-9.

Lewes Priory U17 163 all out
Belhus U17 164-6

Ricki Ellis produced a devastating display of medium pace bowling at the Stanley Turner Memorial ground on Friday to round off this hugely enjoyable and successful Belhus youth tour. The hosts reputation for having a strong squad at this age group counted for nothing as Ellis was concerned. Coming on first change, he had opener Bristow dismissed by an excellent diving catch from Danny Norris for 30 off his very first delivery and then followed it up just two balls later by having number three batsman Bawd brilliantly stumped by Michael Fogg for just six runs. Ricki's second over was no less dramatic, taking two further wickets, this time with consecutive deliveries with the second and third balls. York and Player were both bowled without score as the stong Lewes side were all at sea, having collapsed from 52 for one wicket to 58-5. Ellis finished with 4-16 from seven overs, which included two maidens. Belhus bowlers Dale Kenyon took 2-27 from 7.1 overs (one maiden) and Billy Winter claimed 3-48 from eight overs (one maiden). Ryan Prendergast bowled tidily without reward, conceding just nine runs from four overs while Owen Jefferies picked up 1-37 from six overs, providing the chance for wicketkeeper Fogg to pick up his second stumping of the match. For the home side, Wade hit 21, Lee 24, Hartridge 28 and Secret 12. After tea, Belhus looked slightly lost at 66-6, with Gavin Jefferies, 13, Danny Norris 8, Fogg 23, George Brooks 5 and Danny Chandler 6 all back in the pavilion, but an unbroken seventh wicket stand of 98 between Danny Joyce and Kenyon saw Belhus home. Joyce hit six boundaries in a knock of 53 not out while Kenyon yielded five fours and one maximum in an undefeated 39. For the hosts, Bowd took 4-11 from six overs while Secret and Eyles took one wicket apiece.