CRICKET: Ifield suffer defeat to Billingshurst in top of the table clash

Ifield lost out by two wickets in their top of the table clash away to Billingshurst in the top of the table clash.
Ifield's Sam Dorrington faces Billingshurst bowler Andy Barr during his innings of 56 at Jubilee Fields on Saturday.
Picture by Steve Robards (ref SR1715235)Ifield's Sam Dorrington faces Billingshurst bowler Andy Barr during his innings of 56 at Jubilee Fields on Saturday.
Picture by Steve Robards (ref SR1715235)
Ifield's Sam Dorrington faces Billingshurst bowler Andy Barr during his innings of 56 at Jubilee Fields on Saturday. Picture by Steve Robards (ref SR1715235)

The two sides started the match as joint-leaders level on points.

Home side ‘Hurst won the toss and asked Ifield to bat first and openers Joe Smith and Tom Wragg made a reasonable start before Smith was dismissed with the score on 25.

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The score moved onto 54 before both batsmen Dan Smith and Wragg fell in quick succession, Wragg for 32 and Smith for 8.

Norris and Sam Dorrington then put on an excellent century stand during which Norris reached his 50 but when on 59 he was caught by Andy Barr off the bowling of Ben Williams.

But at 160 for 4 Ifield were well-placed.

Jack Groves and Dorrington added a further 32 for the fifth wicket before Groves was bowled by Barr and then Daniel Groves and Robbie Ballarino were dismissed and suddenly at 199 for seven the scoreboard wasn’t looking so good.

Sam Dorrington reached a really good half century but became the eighth wicket just before the innings concluded on 212 for eight off the allotted 53 overs.

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Ifield were pleased with maximum batting points but disappointed they hadn’t set the home side a bigger target.

The Billingshurst batting found themselves three down with 52 on the board thanks to two wickets for Matt Graves and one for Pratik Patel.

Graves struck again when he had Nightingale caught by Norris for just seven but opener and captain Tom Haynes was batting well and getting rid of him was going to be key.

The score progressed to 113 during which time Haynes reached his 50 but then Dan Smith picked up two quick wickets and Ifield felt they were back in the box seat.

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But two crucial moments altered the course of the game firstly when Haynes was dropped in the deep by Joe Smith when on 68 and then when Andy Barr got an edge to a delivery and was caught behind only for the umpire not to give it.

Haynes went on to complete an excellent century and the scores were level when the 99-run partnership between Haynes and Barr was finally broken when Jigar Parekh bowled Barr and then the very next ball he trapped West LBW but it was too little too late and Williams got Billingshurst home by two wickets.

Only three Billingshurst batsmen reached double figures but the unbeaten 138 runs from Haynes was the difference on the day.

Ifield’s disappointing weekend continued when they were knocked out of the National Village Cup by Bledlow Village on Sunday.

The villagers lie third in the table and host bottom-placed Portslade at Ifield Green on Saturday, starting at 12.30pm.