Evans on cloud nine with title close for Adkins’s men

East Grinstead can almost smell an historic first Sussex Premier League title after yet another scintillating bowling display against Ansty put them on the brink of glory.

Zimbabwean Brad Evans was the star of the show as he took a remarkable 9 for 24 to help skittle out the opposition for 53, meaning that a victory over Horsham this weekend would clinch the Sussex Premier League crown.

Captain of the side Will Adkin paid tribute to Evans’ impact last weekend and revealed the side are fully focussed on the task in hand this weekend as they look to finish the job –even if they are without Evans who has returned to Zimbabwe to sort out visa issues.

Adkin said,

“for any bowler to get nine wickets is an incredible achievement and it was the final wicket that he didn’t get – he was probably keen to get all ten but sadly it wasn’t to be; even so, its still a huge achievement and I’m delighted it helped us get the win.”

“He’s been good, he has had a bit of a side injury which hasn’t helped him – sometimes he hasn’t affected the game because we have won it before he was needed, but he is a very good bowler and battler and has been a fine acquisition to the team.”

“We have never won the League title before and we have done well to be in the position we are in now, if we beat Horsham that will do it so we want to finish that off. It would be new territory for us, the team that are second (Roffey) have won it for the past few years so we have done well to fend them off.”

Adkin has been at the club since junior level and made his debut for the First Team at just 14. In fact eight members of the first team have come through the ranks at East Grinstead. And he’s been impressed by East Grinstead’s bowling this season, with the club restricting all but one side to below 200 runs. We’ve had one or two ex professionals that have been able to play for us the majority of the season and it’s been a real team effort, he said.

“Everyone has stepped up and performed when they needed to, we’ve only lost once all season. Our bowling attack has restricted most teams and our batters have set targets that has enabled them to attack throughout the opponent’s innings.”