FOURTH-PLACED Steyning Cricket Club have a golden opportunity of consolidating their position among the Sussex League Division 3 West pacemakers when they take on second-to-bottom Henfield at The Memorial Ground on Saturday.
Not only have Steyning already had an emphatic nine-wicket victory over Henfield this season but they have recovered from a bad patch to achieve a hat-trick of wins.
Their latest success, at home to Findon by one wicket on Saturday, was achieved i
n a low-scoring match, with more than a few anxious moments.
Afterwards, relieved skipper Tim Humphries, who had played a key role, was full of praise for his team. He said: "Beating Findon shows that we've turned the corner. There's every chance of us making it four wins in a row – especially if our bowlers can do as well as they did today."
Humphries, the bowler, took his four wickets in a 27-ball spell for nine runs to give him a return of 4-27 in 13 overs. With the bat, last man Humphries helped Ed Lamb add the eight crucial runs to steer Steyning to a nailbiting win.
However, Humphries' decision to field looked to have backfired when Bradley Bridson helped himself to five boundaries off Neil Mansbridge in the first over.
The early onslaught marred Mansbridge's figures. But Mansbridge had the last laugh by taking the first four wickets to reduce the visitors to 69-4.
Between them, Bridson and Baz Meaney had contributed all but 12. After their departure, Steyning's bowlers maintained their grip as only Toby Kingsbury and Mickey Demetriou reached double figures.
Kingsbury and Demetriou had added 37 for the fifth wicket. Humphries accounted for both to start the Findon collapse which saw the last six wickets fall for 22 runs.
David Curtis-Botting, who had held two catches during the clatter of wickets, was an early casualty when Steyning batted. But Ben Buckley and Matt Sewell continued their good form.
Garry Howell broke the stand when Buckley gave skipper Ben Coulson the first of his three catches at mid-off. Gary Hunt was the second victim off the promising 15-year old left-arm spinner, Harry Metters.
Metters' teasing deliveries proved too much for David Kennett but Sewell continued Steyning's progress until he was bowled by Kingsbury off the first ball of the 28th over.
The pendulum swung in Findon's favour when Mansbridge departed five balls later.
When Dave Mates became Kingsbury's third scalp, Steyning were 27 runs adrift with three wickets intact.
Luke Chapman struck two boundaries after Andy Isaac's departure and perished attempting another big hit. And it was left to Lamb and Humphries to save Steyning's bacon.
On Sunday, Steyning crashed out of the Sussex League 20/20 Cup by 71 runs at Premier Division side Haywards Heath.
Charlie Dowdall struck 73 in Heath's total of 182-6. Spinner Dave Mates took 3-38 from his four overs for Steyning, while Andy Isaacs' four overs cost just 21 runs.
In reply, Steyning managed just 111-7. Ben Buckley top-scored with 32 but Mates, with 28 not out, and Hywel Jones, with an unbeaten 17, were the only other players to reach double figures.
Steyning's 2nd XI still top Division 3 West after a 12-run victory at Findon on Saturday. Simon McNiff hit 65, with nine fours, and Peter Chalcraft hit 43 as Steyning scored 226-9.
Findon then looked on course to win at 214-7 but Dan Petchey took the last three wickets to fall without conceding a run. Minh Nguyen also grabbed three wickets.
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