Middleton's marvels are back in the premier league

Middleton are champions of division two - and are back in the premier division for 2017.
Middleton celebrate the titleMiddleton celebrate the title
Middleton celebrate the title

Their last game, at home to local rivals Bognor, saw Middleton needing four points for promotion and ten to be crowned champions.

They were without ever-present captain Sean Heather, who missed the game following the arrival of a baby son in the early hours of the day.

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Will Burrows stepped in as skipper for the day and on winning the toss, chose to back his batters to get the 200 needed to secure the ten points needed.

Burrows opened with Beck Hemingway and the pair got off to a good start against some good bowling, in particular by Graham Bush on a wicket that looked suited to him.

Hemingway was first to go for 27 with the score on 40 to a sharp catch by Ryan Maskell at point off Richard Cox.

A partnership of 38 with Matt Reynolds then a key one of 78 with Ben Ferbrache meant that when Burrows was finally out for 69, lbw to Joe Ashmore with the score was on 156, and promotion had been secured.

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It was left to Ferbrache (55), Ben Peach, making his first-team debut aged 15, and Brandon Hanley to get the side home to a final score of 219 for eight ensuring they claimed the full ten points and top spot.

Hanley scored his 18 runs from four balls in the final over of the innings, including two sixes hit out of the ground. Joe Ashmore was the pick of the Bognor bowlers, returning figures of 6-47.

In reply the Bognor openers found it hard going against Matt Cooke and Brandon Hanley. Cooke dismissed openers Max Ashmore and Mikey Harris and when Rob Willway was caught and bowled by Hanley for 0, Bognor found themselves 18-3.

Joe Ashmore shared partnerships of 52 with Zayne Bux and 51 with Sam Adams but at 154-6, rain which had been around for a while became more intense and the umpires brought proceedings to a close.

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Middleton will be joined in premier by Ansty, who finished runners-up.

Pagham v Crawley Eagles

Division two

Pagham were invited to bat by Crawley Eagles, who needed to win in order to maintain their division-two status.

The hosts made their normal poor start and were 66 for five but a masterly knock of 100 not out from Eranga Disanngge and a quickfire 44 from Freddie Burgess saw them to 224 after 51 overs.

Atif Ali (3-27) was easily the pick of the Crawley bowlers.

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News of Lindfield’s defeat at Ifield meant a Crawley win was now imperative and they went about their task in a positive fashion and had 200 for four after only 27 overs.

At this point the umpires decided the rain was too much and called a halt to play thus depriving Crawley their win.

To make matters worse for Crawley, they were deducted one point for a slow over rate which meant their relegation to division three was confirmed – much to the delight of a Lindfield supporter who had come from Ifield to witness proceedings.

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