East Preston 232-3 (49 overs) – 30 points

Portslade 170 all out (40.3 overs)

Andy won the toss and, much to the apparent bemusement of the Portslade skipper, elected to bat first.

Jack continued his poor form with the bat as he stretched a long way to toe-end his third ball to cover for a duck (4-1), and Graham was again unlucky, having been LBW to a shooter last week, when he got another low delivery to be bowled for 2 (20-2). That brought the Rebbetts boys together and they embarked carefully on a partnership of 110 that turned the innings around. Darryl started slowly and was only on 33 when Sean, who deserved a ton, miscued a pull to deep square leg to be dismissed for 84 (130-3) to re-unite the season’s form batsmen in Tom R and Darryl.

Darryl continued at a relatively leisurely pace, reaching his 50 off 97 deliveries, only just surviving when a skied pull was badly missed at square leg by one of the younger opposition fielders when he was on 48. That seemed to galvanise him into action and, as well as running well judged singles and twos, he started to find the gaps and the boundaries more frequently, allowing Tom time to settle in at the crease, until he too joined in with some more expansive strokes, including a flat batted slog for six into the trees on the bank at square leg off opening bowler Alex Smith. Darryl finished on 83 and Tom on 42, with EP closing on 232-3, but many of the Portslade fielders and spectators felt the score to be below par following their 277 the previous week against Horsham Trinity.

The Portslade reply started in the anticipated frenetic fashion with skipper Sam Jones and his partner Glover latching onto anything loose and wide. Jack and Tom C had brief spells, and Coskin lasted just two overs, before Andy turned to the slower bowling of Miggins and Joel, as EP tried to bring the scoring rate back under a run a ball.

Joel, having judiciously mixed his long hops and full tosses the previous week, was successful with one of the latter when Glover was caught by Coskin at mid on (79-1), and Miggins produced an absolute beauty in the next over which drifted away before turning in off the wicket to bowl Jones (79-2). That brought the effervescent and eccentric Clayton Murray to the wicket. Having seen him almost dancing around in the covers as he walked in with the bowler in the first innings, it was a surprise that he stood still long enough to see the ball, let alone hit it, but just as he was getting going, Miggins bowled him for 21 (127-3). Two overs later Miggins hit the stumps again (132-4) and things were looking decidedly brighter for EP. Luke Jones normally hits strongly through the leg side, but could only flail one off Miggins to Darryl at backward point for 10 (153-5), and the real hitters were now all in the pavilion and more attacking fields could be set without the fear of injury.

The next wicket was a bizarre dismissal as young Lowry, who had shaped to play everything to leg, tried the same again off Joel only to inside edge onto his boot. The rebound was athletically pouched by keeper Sean and, after consulting with the square leg umpire, Portslade’s official sent him on his way (164-6).

Consolidation now seemed to be the way forward for Portslade but, after a few defensive strokes, an ill conceived swish from Alex Smith, perhaps responding to words of encouragement from the close fielders, was caught by Jack who had just been positioned at mid wicket (165-7).

A fine throw from Jack to hit the stumps direct brought another wicket (166-8) and, fearing that the opposition would try to block out for a draw, Andy recalled Jack to the attack. He responded immediately by bowling Wainwright with one that kept a little low (166-9), and he wrapped it up by bowling Clark in his next over (170 all out).

Sean seems to be finding his touch and Darryl and Tom carry on in excellent batting form. Jack is producing some great wicket taking deliveries with new or old ball and is economically supported by Tom C, but the last two wins have been achieved on the back of some great slow bowling form Miggins and Joel.

An unchanged side next week as EP, now up to 4^th, host 3^rd placed Horsham Trinity.