Spirited Park beaten by leaders

Bradley Payne at the crease for Crowhurst Park against Eastbourne. Picture by Steve Hunnisett (eh32013b)

Despite producing an excellent team performance, Crowhurst Park’s cricketers were beaten by an Eastbourne team which clearly belongs in the Sussex Premier League.

Park dismissed two of Division Two’s three highest runscorers and a Sussex professional for 22 runs between them before table-topping Eastbourne eventually triumphed by five wickets on Saturday.

Bradley and Dale Payne got Park off to a bright start before Henry Smith made the breakthrough by trapping Dale Payne lbw for 17 with the score 36. Ed Smissen fell soon after and Park were 41-2. A solid 36-run partnership came to an end when Clive Tong holed out to Mark Tomsett off Matt Cooke for a run-a-ball 20.

Bradley Payne was bowled by Devang Patel for a well-made 39 and Martin Barry soon followed him back to the pavilion. At 87-5 Park were struggling to secure any batting points, but Kellen Powell and Nick Taylor rebuilt the innings with an excellent 43-run partnership before Powell was stumped off Tomsett (4-25).

Paul Lindfield fell the same over and when Taylor was caught at cover, Park were still in trouble at 141-8. Paul Brookes and Pete Beaumont took Park along to 170 to gain some valuable batting points.