Player smashes 26 off last over as game ends in a tie

A splendid broadside of hitting by Battle ace Jo Carthew, concluding with a thumping straight six, brought the match to a balanced conclusion.

Pett batted first, but Battle youngsters Harvey Faulkner (2-16) and Kieran Dudgeon made early inroads to leave the hosts 11-3.

See also: * Panic over as Rye overseas star is reunited with lost luggage* Ex-Yorkshire and Sussex star signs for Bexhill* St Leonards star back on top of Premier LeagueOllie Janman (46), with some neat early-season timing, recovered the situation with the support of some powerful hitting to leg from Adam Stunt (15) and Ben Harris (19).

Jim Butler (2-32), Jamie Faulkner, James Lowes and the slow torture of Tim Dudgeon (2-15) all chipped in with wickets to leave Pett 132-9.

With Battle prepared to give plenty of their team the opportunity to turn their arm over, a determined 10th wicket stand between Nick Soan (23 not out) and Chris Mills (25 not out) meant a further 56 undefeated runs were added before the allotted 35 overs ran out.

After tea, Ben Newman (33) started Battle’s reply with some powerful blows down the ground before toe-ending Cornford (2-23) for Liam Stamp to take a good low catch at point.

Harvey Faulkner played some classy drives in his 30 as he and Lowes (13) added 52 for the fifth wicket. However, 119-4 became 128-9 in the space of six overs, with Mills bowling an excellent spell of 4-16 and Stunt a similar one of 2-10.

Battle had kept a couple of their more experienced batsmen lower down the order, and Carthew and skipper Colin Driscoll (19 not out) reached the last over needing a nigh impossible 27 runs to win.

At his point Carthew exploded, with nearly all his striking between extra cover and long-on – six, four, four, four, two and then a final six to leave the scores locked at 186 apiece. A dramatic conclusion to a good game of cricket.