U16 Bowl Festival Final at Arundel Castle, Sunday 21^st August

Worthing (150 for 9 after 45 overs) beat East Grinstead (118 All Out) by 32 runs

Worthing and East Grinstead emerged as best group winners from their respective pools to meet in the 2011 U16 SJCF Bowl Final. In accordance with tradition, the U16s final was played at Arundel Castle CC, a fitting setting for this county-wide tournament, not won by Worthing since 1993.

East Grinstead won the toss and elected to field hoping to take advantage of some early morning dampness. East Grinstead’s two opening seamers, Ben Davies and Will Taylor, bowled tight lines as Worthing’s batsmen found runs hard to come by. But Worthing’s opening pair of Harry Dunn and Bradley Lewis stuck to the task keeping the score ticking over at a steady pace until Bradley was undone by a good length delivery in the 7th over. East Grinstead quickly introduced Nathan Baily into the attack and soon had Worthing further on the back foot as he bowled with pace and accuracy, taking 3 wickets in quick succession as Worthing slumped to 59 for 4 in the 19th over. Meanwhile, Dan Stuart, who had come to the crease  at the fall of the first wicket, was beginning to find his feet and had started to build a score which would ultimately be the mainstay of Worthing’s total. After a few further nervy overs before lunch, the score had reached 75 after 29 overs with Dan on 27.

The resumption saw Worthing’s Ollie Carpenter immediately take the attack to the bowlers hitting 3 fours in the first over of the afternoon session. However, two wickets in as many balls from East Grinstead’s Josh Hampson again hindered Worthing’s progress as the seasiders tried to find some much needed runs in the closing overs. Supporting knocks from Martyn Swift and James Allen gelled nicely with Dan Stuart’s fine batting performance as he passed his own 50 mark in the 41st over. Dan continued to play superbly through until the end of the innings seeing Worthing grab a valuable 35 runs off the last 5 overs. While the final total of 150 from Worthing's allotted 45 overs seemed low, it did at least give them a score to bowl at.

The East Grinstead innings started with some drama as Martyn Swift opened the attack for Worthing only to see Ben Davies dropped off his first delivery and then dismiss their No.2 with his second. Despite this, East Grinstead set about the Worthing total with some positive batting scoring in good time, Ben Davies making the most of his opportunity, playing nicely off his front foot including one tremendous six over long on. One further wicket for Martyn Swift and leg-spinner Mason Crane had done little to dent East Grinstead’s progress and by the time the game had reached tea at the end of the 22nd over, East Grinstead were in a strong position at 92 for 3 with Ben Davies on 40 not out.

The final session saw a change to the shape of the innings and to Worthing’s fortunes as their spinners began to take hold. Having bowled well all week, taking 27 wickets between them, the triumvirate of James Allen, Mason Crane, and Harry Dunn again proved invaluable to Worthing's cause as they worked together to gain the upper hand. With 2 wickets going down soon after tea, it was the crucial wicket of Ben Davies, finally out for a fine 51, which proved the turning point of the game. His departure at the fall of 7th wicket to a perfect leg cutter delivered by James Allen with the score on 114, left too much for East Grinstead’s remaining batsmen to do. James duly collected the last three wickets completing a match winning performance with figures of 6 for 17 and was deservedly awarded Man of the Match.

In conclusion, Worthing won by 32 runs to take the trophy back to the Manor Ground but credit must go to both sides who won through to the final; an achievement in itself in a county where cricket is still a strongly contested sport played in the best of traditions.

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Group C Match 1: Monday 15^th August

Worthing (148 All Out) beat Chichester (123 All Out) by 25 runs

Worthing finished as victors from a game played in contrasting conditions and which for a long while could have gone either way. Worthing, having won the toss, chose to bat, starting the game in bright sunshine on what proved to be a slow wicket. With runs not coming easily, opener Harry Dunn set about building an innings that would ultimately provide the backbone of the innings and by the time he departed on 73 with the total on 140, his innings, including 9 fours, would prove pivotal to the outcome of the match. Robbie Anderson (16) and Harvey Von Biel (15 not out) played nice cameo innings alongside Harry but as the run chase gathered momentum a frantic final 2 overs saw Worthing lose their last 4 wickets in quick succession.

By the resumption the sun had been replaced by overcast and murky conditions as Worthing's opening pair of Martyn Swift and Nick Ballamy bowled well to keep Chichester down to just 15 off the first 9 overs. The murky conditions were later replaced by light drizzle as Worthing's spinners took control of the game. Mason Crane and James Allen bowled in tandem in the 2nd half of the innings as Chichester tried to up the run rate but on a troublesome pitch and in difficult conditions the wickets started to fall. Ollie Greenless (42) starred with the bat for Chichester but when he was out for the 7th wicket the game was up. To Chichester's credit, they continued the run chase but to no avail with Mason and James both finishing with 4 wickets apiece.

Group C Match 2: Tuesday 16^th August

Stirlands (154 for 9) lost to Worthing (155 for 1) by 9 wickets

Worthing sealed back-to-back wins performing strongly with both bat and ball away at Stirlands in their 2nd match of the week. Having been asked to field, Martyn Swift and Nick Ballamy started strongly for Worthing, again bowling tightly to restrict Stirlands to 24 after the first 11 overs. In response, Stirland's No.3, Ed Clarke, took up the challenge with some fine front-foot stroke play. At 91 for 1 in the 27th over Stirlands were well positioned to post a large total. However, Clarke's departure on 68 signalled a mid-order collapse as Mason Crane once again helped himself to 4 wickets aided  and abetted by Nick Ballamy who himself claimed 3 victims behind the stumps having switched duties mid-innings. Despite a late rally by Stirlands, with some free-style batting, a total of 154 at the end of their allotted overs was perhaps less than what should otherwise have been.

In reply, Harry Dunn lead the Worthing innings from start to finish, playing as well as at anytime for his club posting an undefeated 81; his best score at any level. Opening bowler, Robert Clarke found some pace in the pitch which on another day may have earned a wicket or two, but from hereon, Worthing's batsmen dominated the innings. Harry, ably supported by Bradley Lewis; the two openers rarely looked troubled and after a steady start found batting very much to their liking. Bradley was eventually caught out in the deep for 43 but by this stage, with the score on 124, there was only going to be one outcome. Worthing eased past the target at the end of the 29th over as Harry struck his 8th boundary of the day.

Group C Match 3: Wednesday 16^th August

Worthing (198 for 7 after 42 overs) beat Horsham (178 All Out) by 20 runs

A tightly fought game saw Worthing achieve their 3rd win of the week with another good all round team performance with everyone playing their part. Having lost the toss, Worthing were invited to bat and true to form, Worthing's openers, Harry Dunn and Bradley Lewis built a steady opening partnership against some good bowling. Two quick wickets in the 12th over brought Harvey von Biel to the crease as he set about playing possibly his best innings for the club. His 51 in as many balls, in tandem with Robbie Anderson (14) and Ollie Carpenter (12) who both played good supporting roles, gave Worthing's inning some much needed impetus which was improved further by the arrival of Nick Ballamy at the fall of the 5th wicket. When Nick came to the crease in the 31st over, Worthing's score was 131; by the end of Worthing's innings Nick had scored 44, including 8 boundaries, and taken his team's score to a decisive 198.

Horsham got off to a flyer intending to make short work of Worthing's total. By the 10th over the score had reached 74 albeit for the loss of two wickets, as Horsham's batsmen set about Worthing's seamers. The introduction of the spinners couldn't come soon enough as the trio of Mason Crane, James Allen and Harry Dunn all made life difficult on a turning pitch and today it was the turn of Harry to take the plaudits with a match winning spell of 5 for 24. Some of the fielding is worthy of note, particularly Martyn Swift's sharp catch at mid-wicket, Harvey von Biel's well-judged catch at deep square and again Nick Ballamy's impressive work behind the stumps including two stumpings. Some of it was less so, with  7 chances going down and a number of glaring mis-fields all of which added to the tension as Horsham continued the run chase. For a while their No.9, Nick Klein, looked as though he might get them there but as he ran out of partner's so did his patience as he made one charge down the pitch too many. A good match to watch but Worthing will need to work on their fielding if they are to get to the very top.

Group C Match 4: Thursday 19^th August

Worthing (178 for 5 after 42 overs) beat Steyning (159 All Out) by 19 runs

The weather conditions for Worthing's final match and group decider against Steyning, were at best gloomy and with rain threatening later, it was no surprise that Worthing, having lost the toss (also no surprise) were asked to bat. Harry Dunn and Bradley Lewis again lead the innings taking the word 'steady' to new unexplored territory as Worthing eased their way past 20 in the 13th over. But in a strategy that has served the U16s well this week they, along with Dan Stuart, Worthing's No.3, provided a solid foundation on which to build. When Harry Dunn was out for 43, crowning an excellent week with the bat, the score had reached 75 in the 26th over allowing Harvey Von Biel and latterly Nick Ballamy to push the accelerator. Between them this pair hit 10 boundaries in an unbroken partnership of 74 for the final 12 overs; Harvey scoring 38 in 36 balls and Nick 44 in 39. Mixed with some excellent running between the wickets, they took the score up to a creditable 178 off Worthing’s allotted 42 overs.

Steyning suffered an early set back losing their power-hitter in the 3rd over to one of 3 catches bagged by Bradley Lewis on the day. Their next wicket wasn't to fall until the 29th by which time their score had risen to 105 although Worthing's spinners Mason Crane and James Allen had bowled well enough to keep the run rate down and the pressure on. With the chance of an outright win for Steyning slipping away, the target of 162 to secure a winning draw became their objective. As the bat began to swing and running between the wickets became ever more frantic, the wickets started to tumble. With one ball remaining Steyning required a 4 for the winning draw with Worthing needing one wicket for an outright win. As it was, Nick Ballamy had the final say claiming his 7th stumping off the week as Nick Gwilliam's valiant innings of 28 came to an end.

All in all, it has been a fine week for this side punching well above their weight against some excellent opposition.

Group C Final Standings