Aldwick celebrate with hundreds of junior cricketers – and Kev celebrates his 1,000th wicket

It was an evening of celebration at the Felpham Oval as Aldwick CC launched their Richmond Motor Group junior cricket sponsorship – and marked a remarkable season for the club’s young guns.

The evening kicked off with a final hurrah for the children attending All Stars and Dynamos Cricket.

All Stars and Dynamos are national programmes for children aged 5-8 and 8-11. All Stars introduces younger children to cricket skills while Dynamos is about them using those skills in a game before they progress to competitive junior cricket.

Richmond Motor Group presented All Stars and Dynamos medals to the next generation.

Aldwick CC Chairman Ollie Smith said: “We are absolutely indebted for the investment Richmond Motor Group have made with the club.

"To see all our juniors wearing Richmond-sponsored kit is something the club are very proud of, and we hope this is the start of a long-term relationship with one of Bognor’s most established businesses.”

The sponsorship has given every junior member a new kit to wear and Aldwick CC’s junior cricket lead, Lara Johnson, explained what it really meant.

“This sponsorship is invaluable, it has allowed us to fast-track our plans to move away from cricket whites and make cricket more accessible and inclusive for all children,” she said.

"Wimbledon has been in the news for allowing female athletes to wear dark undershorts, but this has been a focus across multiple sports for a few years.

"We’ve now been able to move to coloured kit for all junior teams, without alienating girls or having to pass the cost on to families. It has made a huge difference; the juniors love their kit and we’re immensely grateful.”

The club invited every All Star, Dynamo and Junior member to a barbecue which also featured the most eagerly anticipated match of the season in the Newbury Sussex Junior Cricket League as Aldwick U11 Scorchers faced the Aldwick U13 Vixens.

Ian Guppy, from Aldwick CC, spoke with pride about the event and the whole club.

“We have literally ‘risen from the ashes’ (after a devastating fire a few years ago) and it fills us with great pride to be entering the Sussex Junior Cricket Festivals for the first time in our history this summer,” he said.

"The club are, as always, thankful for every parent, volunteer and player that assisted in making this special evening happen.”

Richmond Motor Group were proud to be in attendance and were delighted by the welcome they received.

James Gregory from Richmond said: "What a fantastic turnout for the juniors kit launch. Sam, Matt and I were really taken aback by the family feel of Aldwick CC … seeing how much cricket and community means to members and their families was overwhelming.

"It’s fantastic to sponsor such a family-orientated club which aligns with Richmond Motor Group’s core values, with ourselves being in the top 10 family-run motor group in the UK.”

The club have more than 90 budding young cricketers on their books and have seven junior teams in various local leagues, tournaments and competitions, ages ranging from five to 15.

If you are interested in playing at the club, please email [email protected]

West Wittering 2nd v Goring 2nd

Sussex Division 8 West

Wet and windy was the forecast for the weekend, but with West Wittering CC having covers and an excellent ground taff on hand to make sure the wicket was at its best, the club’s second XI at least managed to start their game.

Wittering skipper Kev Allsobrook was looking forward to the game more than normal as his Play-Cricket tally of wickets was 999.

He won the toss and Goring were asked to bat. Alex Fitch and Joe McNamara started at a rapid pace before a fantastic catch off the bowling of Jack Rowland-Harte by Steve Day at first slip sent Fitch (14) to the clubhouse.

The skipper brought himself on and in his second over grabbed that 1000th wicket thanks to a catcht at mid-on by Ollie Small.

The rain started and got heavier which meant the game ended. McNamara ended 33 not out while Allsobrook’s figures were 5-5-0-1.

He said: “I love cricket and intend to play for many more years. This is my 45th senior year of league cricket and in that time I have just been lucky!

"t started to play league cricket in 1978 and have gained 59 five-fers, with my best figures against Buxted Park 9-38.”

West Wittering 3rd v Chi Priory Park 5th

Always keen to make history, Chichester and West Wittering enjoyed a T20 match on a rain-hit day at Selsey.Chi were fielding a father, son and daughter, the Walker family, for the first time.

The match was halted for 42 minutes for an air ambulance to attend to a casualty – not related to the match – but was able to resume.

Chichester opted to field first. Son James Walker took a fine catch to dispatch the opening batsman, Poppy Walker took 2-26 and father Paul 1-13.

Elijah Yambo, keeping wicket for the first time, took two excellent catches. David Graham-Wood claimed 4-2 and West Wittering were all out for 86.

Yambo made a brave start with Graham-Wood in the batting. However P Walker ran out Freddy Huggett then himself in a rush to score . The runs continued to flow with Toby Lewis hitting the winning runs for Chichester.

HORSHAM CC & SUSSEX PREMIER

All of last Saturday’s Sussex Premier Cricket League matches got underway, but four of the five soon fell prey to the rain sweeping across from the west.

Eastbourne’s micro-climate enabled visiting Horsham to bat for the longest, making 241-6 declared from 50 overs.

Skipper Nick Oxley led the way with 71, well supported by 50 from Will Beer and 30s from Tom Johnson and Sam Bell.

There was just time for Eastbourne to reply, but, after they lost an early wicket, the rain duly arrived, and that was it.

With all five matches abandoned it was a case of 10 points all round, leaving the order of the table unchanged – leaders Cuckfield 21 points clear of East Grinstead, with Preston Nomads third and Horsham fourth.

Bottom club Eastbourne have 126 points, one less than fellow strugglers Mayfield, who are 36 behind Bognor, with Roffey seventh.

The league season is two-thirds gone, with just six matches remaining, the last four being on a 50-over-a-side win/lose basis.

On Saturday Horsham welcome Bognor, with Roffey, looking for a win to cement their future in the top flight, travelling for a tough challenge at East Grinstead.

Meanwhile, Roffey’s Kiwi overseas player Nick Greenwood has been playing for Jersey – the place of his birth - in the ICC qualifiers at Edinburgh.

Jersey, boosted with runs from Greenwood, have been giving their much stronger Scottish opponents a good run for their money at The Grange ground.

- MARTIN READ

SOUTHWICK CC

A little bit of history was made last week at Southwick when two parent-child partnerships played on the same day.

​Father and son Adam and Fin Walter played for the Wickers’ first XI and mother and son Frances Block and Fin Metcalfe-Martin played for the twos.

It was certainly a first for Southwick – and maybe unique on a wider scael.

Frances has a fine pedigree, having played for Sussex Women from 1999 to 2004 and won two county championships.

Meanwhile, the weekend just gone was a washout for teams in the Sussex Cricket League.

Some matches started before the rain arrived but almost all games failed to reach a finish, with one or two exceptions where the rain held off for just long enough.

The weather wipeout means Worthing remain top of the Sussex League Division 2, 27 points clear of West Chiltington – who they were supposed to host on Saturday. Worthing visit Burgess Hill this Saturday.

In Division 3 West, Findon – two points ahead of Steyning – are at home to Billingshurst. Steyning visit Ifield.

In Division 4 West, Broadwater host Wisborough Green, Chippingdale are home to Horsham twos and second-placed Goring go to Felbridge & Sunnyside.