Logan's breaks Chichester bowling record - and it's a good job too

Club-record bowling figures of eight for 18 from Richard Logan ensured Chichester secured an unlikely victory at East Grinstead that lifted them out of the relegation zone in cricket's Sussex Premier League.

Everything appeared to go right for the home side as Will Adkin won the toss and inserted Chichester on a difficult wicket.

A band of dampness on a good length was always going to be exploited profitably by the bowling side and Duncan Shoebridge bowled his brand to take four for 25 from 19 overs.

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Sussex bowler Lewis Hatchett (3-22) and Adkin (2-10) also made telling contributions, the effect being that Chichester stumbled their way to 64 for nine from 38 overs.

The innings closed after 38 overs after several rain interruptions. Tea was taken early and the game had to restart by 5.30pm or be called off.

The start of the game had been delayed because of a wet playing area, but play resumed when conditions were even worse to the dismay at that stage of the Chichester team - as a called-off game would have given them ten points, the maximum they would have thought possible with East Grinstead only needing 65 to win.

However, East Grinstead had not realised how hard batting would be and soon found themselves in trouble as wickets fell at 0, 0, 6, 22, 22, 25, 25, 39 and 43.

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At 43 for nine the home side needed 22 to win and it looked as though Craig Fowle might steer them to victory, but Logan had the final word.

He hit the stumps for the fifth time with the score on 54 to hand Chichester the victory and 30 points.

It was a truly outstanding performance from Logan, who beat the previous club record of eight for 19 held by Fazl-E-Akbar. The Sussex League are being consulted to confirm a claim that 64 is the lowest first-innings score to win a game, but Chichester aren’t too worried about such accolades - the most important thing is they claimed maximum points and moved out of the relegation zone.

Chichester travel to Roffey on Saturday in a game they would dearly love to win to get them back into mid-table.