Ifield falter at promotion hopefuls

Ifield put in a disappointing performance with the bat as they went down by three wickets away to Eastbourne.
Eastbourne CC V ifield CC 30/7/16 Ifields Dan Smith loses his wicket (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-160108-092156008Eastbourne CC V ifield CC 30/7/16 Ifields Dan Smith loses his wicket (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-160108-092156008
Eastbourne CC V ifield CC 30/7/16 Ifields Dan Smith loses his wicket (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-160108-092156008

Skipper Jack Groves won the toss and decided to have first use of a good Eastbourne wicket and openers Joe Cooke and Dan Smith made the most of it with an excellent opening stand of 68.

Cooke was bowled by David Twine for 23 and Smith quickly followed in the same way for 32 but at 69 for 2 Ifield were reasonably happy.

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But things quickly turned in the next over as Tom Wragg drove a ball straight down the ground and it was tipped onto the stumps of Mike Norris who appeared after a dive to be in his ground but the umpire whilst attempting evasive action adjudged him out and a frustrated Norris had to return to the pavilion.

Wragg was bowled not playing a shot and Ifield had lost four wickets for five runs. Paul Clifford and Jack Groves took the score to 94 before Clifford picked out the man in the deep and departed for six.

Groves was playing fluently and joined by Dinesh Salunkhe they kept the scoreboard ticking over nicely and it was something of a surprise when Groves pulled a short ball straight to mid-wicket and was out for 31.

Salunkhe played patiently but was LBW to Jacob Smith for 29 and Ifield were 142 for 7 but any thoughts of posting a half decent score evaporated when first Daniel Groves had a heave at his very first ball and was out LBW and then Pratik Patel quickly followed for just 5.

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Parekh was LBW after just 2 balls for 0 and Ifield were all out for 147 after just 36 overs.

Eastbourne’s response started slowly with Patel and Groves bowling some tight overs and both batsmen survived catching chances but it was the introduction of spin that did the trick.

Salunkhe induced a false shot from Jacob Smith and he was caught by Dan Smith for 18 and then with the addition of just one run ex-Ifield player Delray Rawlins was caught by Salunkhe off Patel and the home side were 29 for 2.

Dan Wells was LBW to Parekh after taking 23 overs to reach 11 but Mark Tomsett clearly decided to anchor the run chase and although a couple of wickets fell around him he looked immoveable.

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At 64 for 5 Ifield felt they were still in the game but Brad Evans and Tomsett put on 64 for the sixth wicket and Eastbourne were in sight of victory. The returning Patel bowled Tomsett for 51 and although Ifield picked up a late seventh wicket, Evans (39) and Ben Twine (12) took the home side over the line in the 56th over. Ifield and they will be hoping for a better all-round performance at home to Three Bridges this Saturday.

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