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Result - Armadillos

Sun Jun 26th Armadillos win by 6 wickets

Match report

The hottest day of the year so far - 30 degrees and blazing hot sun. Sheffield Park looked immaculate, with one exception - the pitch. The covers had been on overnight and the sweltering heat and a low morning mist meant that the pitch had sweated, was bright green and visibly damp. it was not a toss to lose.

Having duly lost the toss the Grannies were inserted. The openers, Adam Parkinson and Simon Leefe, progressed slowly but carefully in testing conditions to 56-0. All looked well, but then Nick Hely-Hutchinson came on to bowl for the Armadillos and used the variable pace and bounce of the pitch to great effect, jagging the ball about on a good length. Ben Claypole and Jack Stone, who scored over 150 between them last year, were dispatched for 0, and the Grannies collapsed to 85-6.

Simon Leefe held firm whilst all around were falling, and made a notable 50 with a strained hamstring and a runner for most of the time. There was also a spirited tail-end revival headed by Robbie Noble (40 no) but at tea, the Grannies had only reached 159 for 8.

Declining to force the Armadillos back into the field after tea (which would probably have caused a major revolt) the Grannies took to the field. By this time the pitch had dried in the sun and heat, and the bounce and pace was even. Led by 70 from their Horsham/Sussex II opener, Nash, the Armadillos cruised to their target for the loss of only 4 wickets. Three of these were taken by Robbie Noble, who bowled a brisk opening spell and looked even better when he returned off a shortened run-up.

All in all, a game played in great spirit at a wonderful venue, with generous hosts, but a disappointing outcome. I'll take my double-headed coin next year!

Match info

A tense encounter on the Armadillos' historic and spectacular ground at Sheffield Park Garden.

Location
Sheffield Park,
Fletching,
TN22 3QZ

How to get there
The Cricket Ground is within the National Trust's famous Sheffield Park Garden, Sheffield Park, East Sussex TN22 3QX Telephone: 01825 790231. It lies midway between East Grinstead and Lewes, 5 miles north west of Uckfield, on the east side of the A275 (between A272 and A22).

Enter the grounds and keep right following the signs, through a number of gates (please close behind you) and eventually reaching a car park. Leave the car and walk through the gate in the deer fence across the ground to the pavilion.

PLEASE LEAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO GET THERE - MOST PEOPLE FIND IT TAKES LONGER THAN THEY THINK - THE LAST FEW MILES ARE SLOW