ECC 1st XI vs Pagham CC, 2nd XI

Another hot day down at the gate saw the boys look to bounce back after last week’s defeat against Bosham. The skipper Andy won the toss and elected to bat.

Eastergate CC Innings: 174 all out (39.5 overs)

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Eastergate CC got off to a cautious start but were consistently pegged back by regular wickets.

• J Bateman top-scored with a gritty 46 off 91 balls, anchoring the innings but struggling to accelerate.
• A White provided a much-needed injection of pace with an aggressive 49 off 42 (5 fours, 2 sixes), scoring at a strike rate of 116.67.
• The rest of the batting lineup faltered, with only A Bateman (12) and J Reed (18 off 9) reaching double digits.

Pagham’s bowlers shared the wickets impressively:

• B Young was the standout with 4 wickets, including key scalps and excellent control.
• M Pidgen picked up 3 wickets, supporting well through the middle overs.
• N Singla (2 wickets) and F Bennett (1 wicket) rounded off a disciplined bowling effort.

Pagham CC Innings: 175/3 (27.4 overs)

Chasing 175, Pagham started aggressively and never looked in trouble.

• F Bennett smashed a rapid 44 off 28 balls, hitting 9 boundaries and setting the tone for the chase.
• After the fall of a couple of quick wickets, N Horner (38 off 53)* and B Young (46 off 63)* took control, pacing the innings smartly and guiding Pagham home with a composed unbeaten partnership.
• A Bennett also chipped in with a valuable 22 off 20 before falling to H Grant.

Eastergate’s bowlers tried hard, with H Grant (2 wickets) and H Reed (1 wicket) making inroads, but a lack of scoreboard pressure and attacking intent from Pagham made it a one-sided affair.

The 1st XI are AWAY next Saturday to Crawley Eagles 2nd XI.