TODAY IS:

Jamie top scored with 33

Forest Row 2nd XI fell to a disappointing 7-wicket defeat against Scaynes Hill III on a Saturday, in an occasionally heated Stoner League division 3 match. Row batted first and Jamie Brownlie (33) impressed playing his first league Innings as an opener, putting on good partnerships of 20 with Phil Rowe (5), 21 with Dave Webb (18) and 24 with Simon Trench (13). But the Scaynes Hill bowlers never allowed the Row batsman to get away, always taking a wicket at regular intervals. Forty-one runs in the first 10 Overs, were followed thirty in the next, and just fourteen in the subsequent 10. When Brownlie was finally dismissed to a fine catch at long on, shortly followed by Trench being bowled by De Bruxelles, Row were at 83-5, with the lower order having at least 18 overs to face. A spirited innings from Alan Westmuckett (11) and bowler Jeremiah conceding 15 runs in no balls and wides in one over provided the majority of the runs for the tail, as Row were whittled out for 119, fifteen minutes before tea. Patton with 2-5 off 4 overs was the pick of the Hill bowlers, one of four taking two wickets.

In reply, Scaynes Hill suffered an early loss when Trench bowled Cripps (1) in the first over, to give Row hope. But any chance Row had of staying in the game was quickly batted to death by Mackey (42) and Cocker (53no) who were merciless with the bowlers and fielders. They took every opportunity to blast the ball to the boundary, while always putting pressure on the fielders with good running between the wickets. Row had no answer as Hill rocketed away past half the winning total after just 10 overs, and the frustration in Row was becoming evident. There was the sad but rare sight of internal wrangling amongst the Row team. There was also a threat of a handbag fight between one of the batsmen and a fielder, which skipper Rick Walsom did well to calm down. Mick Humphrey finally dismissed Mackey with an athletic caught and bowled, and Phil Rowe took a return catch of Wright (10) but it proved to be too little and too late as Scaynes Hill comfortably secured their victory in 19 overs.

FOREST ROW 2nd XI 119 J. Brownlie 33
Patton 2-5, Cocker 2-21, De Bruxelles 2-23, J Roe 2-26

SCAYNES HILL III 120-3, Cocker 53no, Mackey 42