CRICKET: Littlehampton set to miss out on promotion

Despite Littlehampton chasing down 228 to take 22 points from their match with Pulborough, Haywards Heath took all 30 points from their game with bottom-club Sidley. And Heath now need just four points from their remaining game against relegated Steyning, on Saturday, to secure promotion.

Littlehampton will have to take all 30 points from their match at St James and hope Steyning do them a huge favour.

Littlehampton captain Benn Challen said: "I can't see Steyning pulling off a big win. All we can do is go to St James, get 30 points, and finish as high as we can."

Challen is already reflecting on the games which look to have cost his side promotion. He said: "We lost to Haywards Heath twice, and if we'd just drawn one of those games, we'd be going into our last game with a better chance of promotion.

"Then there was the Lewes game last week '” chasing a low total '” but we just didn't bat well.

"It's always the way, though. We always seem to tail off towards the end of a season."

Last year, Littlehampton had missed out on promotion, also on the final day of the season, when they lost to Haywards Heath by 110 runs.

That allowed Stirlands to overtake them and pinch second place by two points.

On Saturday's game, Challen said: "We needed to get 30 points, but the wicket was flat, and I put them in to bat first because I don't think we would have bowled them out second.

"We needed to get a few more early wickets to have had a chance of bowling them out. We did bowl pretty well, but it was always going to be hard to bowl a side out on that wicket."

Tom Crump top-scored with 93 in Pulborough's 228-6. He put on a 109-run third-wicket stand with captain Rohit Jagota, who struck 59.

Luke Vinter took four Pulborough wickets and now has 32 this summer.

Littlehampton comfortably reached their target with Chris Kirkham, on his return, following a club suspension, top-scoring with a 77-ball 66.

He hit eight fours and one six, and Challen fired 62 from 64 deliveries. He struck nine fours and one six.

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