Sussex County League 
 Division 3 East 1st XI Competition   

SEAFORD v HELLINGLY - 28 JUNE

 On a sunny but blustery day down at the Salts, Seaford welcomed Hellingly to play what was an important game of cricket following last weeks frustrating draw at Ansty. 

Hellingly skipper James Wise called correctly and immediately chose to bat. He may have been regretting this a few moments later as Paul Mason (2 – 18) claimed his wicket with only the 4^th ball of the match. What followed was a steady partnership before Mason claimed his second wicket of the afternoon with the score on 38. Ian Rippengal and Paul MacDonald then steadied the ship and frustrated the Seaford attack. It wasn’t until first change Pete Copplestone was introduced that Seaford picked up wicket number three, having Rippengal caught by Chris Stanyard at square leg. It was then the captains turn to pick up the fourth wicket, clean bowling the Hellingly batsman. A solid partnership between father and son (Paul and James Macdonald) put Hellingly into a strong position before the introduction of Jon Pitts put Seaford back in command. He picked up two wickets in his first over, including the dangerous Paul MacDonald for 40. Seaford built on this with all bowlers contributing with wickets. Pitts finished the pick of the bowlers with 2 – 23 as Hellingly finished their 50 over’s on 179 – 9.

Seaford’s openers Adam Kneller (35) and Nick Pink (34) started well, scoring at a good run rate and took the score well past 50 with little trouble. As so often the case this year both openers looked well set before getting out. Seaford then kneeded a solid partnership between the reliable pair of Jacob Thompson and Jamie Goddard but a rush of blood to the head from Thompson saw him stumped for 13. This bought Captain Chris Stanyard to the crease and he and Jamie Goddard batted patiently, taking the score to within 40 runs of victory before Goddard was caught behind following a good ball from James MacDonald. Pete Copplestone was next in and looked in good form. It was Stanyard who was next out with the score on 154 as he was stumped for a well made 31. Tim Goddard joined Copplestone at the crease and the two of them saw Seaford home in impressive fashion with Copplestone finishing on 22*.

A good positive performance from Seaford in which they clawed back 18 points on league leaders Glynde, with this win. At the half-way point in the season Seaford will be confident that they can catch Glynde but realise that they will have to work hard and play good consistent cricket in order to do so.  

ANSTY 1st XI v SEAFORD 1st XI - 22 JUNE - Report 
SEAFORD 1^ST XI V KEYMER & HASSOCKS 1^ST XI - 14^TH JUNE 2008 - Report
SEAFORD 1^ST XI 209-6 beat CHIDDINGLY 1^ST XI 100 ALL OUT - Report
UCKFIELD ANDERIDA 1^st XI v SEAFORD 1st XI - 31 MAY - Report
SEAFORD 1^st XI v LINDFIELD 1^st XI - 24 MAY - Report 
GLYNDE 1st XI v SEAFORD 1st XI - 17 MAY - Report
BURGESS HILL 1st XI v SEAFORD 1st XI –  10 MAY - Report 
SEAFORD 1st XI v CRAWLEY 1st XI - 3 MAY - Report