VICTORY at Badshot Lea confirmed Chiddingfold as winners of the Herald Shield and they achieve immediate promotion back to Division One.

Witley hope to accompany them, although they lost to Grayshott II in the clash of the teams placed second and third.

Witley opted to bat, but struggled against accurate bowling and slipped to 70-7 before a fine partnership between Adam Keane (41 not out) and Ben Dobson (28) saw them to a decent total of 159-8 after 48 overs. Callum Conway bowled particularly well for his 3 for 21 from seven overs

Grayshott openers Jack Moseley (35) and Andy Lang obeyed instructions to the letter and saw off the new ball in their steady partnership of 70. Paul Scanlon (39) and Lang (45) kept the score ticking along and after a mini collapse to Charlie Cook (3-20) and Kurt Lyall, Grayshott completed a well-timed win with an over to spare.

Chiddingfold, put in by Badshot Lea, recovered from a stuttering start to post 171 all out in the 47th over. Josh Menzies (5-38 in 12 overs) and Matt Bent threatened to dismiss the leaders cheaply, but Matt Barnett rallied his side with an excellent 81 not out, well supported by Nathan Eddy and number 10 Nick Harman.

Russ Talman ripped into Badshot Lea’s top order, while Harman removed top scorers Chris Minassian (24) and Jon Richards (19), both leg before. Eddy shot out the tail and Lea were dismissed for 100 in 31 overs.

Badshot Lea are left to contest the relegation places with Harting and Wood Street. Bottom side Wood Street, with a match in hand on both their rivals, could yet beat the drop after winning at Harting.

The Sussex side elected to bat and looked on the way to a big total after a fine opening partnership between Rob Norris (68) and Andy Wadey (31). However, change-bowlers Henry Vincent (5-29) and Neil Lunn (4-29) caused a collapse and Harting faded to 148 all out in the 40th overs.

Wood Street ran into trouble against the bowling of Henderson (4-38), but Vincent (36) and Liam Binfield (26) shared a vital stand and then James Grist and Hamish Chudley steered their side home in a tense finish.

Hindhead did what they had to do against a youthful Headley II. The home side scored heavily from the start, with Matt Jeffs (45) and David Babb (51) taking advantage of an inexperienced attack. Later, Alex Bertola cut loose with a series of expansive drives and raced to an unbeaten 102 in just 67 balls, hitting six fours and seven sixes. This allowed Hindhead to declare on 225-5 from 42 overs.

The visitors struggled against a varied attack. Opener Zach Benstead resisted with a battling 15 before he was ninth man out. Ian Neville, Chris Mistlin and number 11 Algie Trotman also reached double figures before Headley were bowled out for 82 in 33.3 overs. Hindhead used ten bowlers in all and Bertola (3-11) achieved the unusual feat of recording a hat-trick across three weeks (two wickets off the last two balls on August 22, the washout last week, and a wicket off his first ball in this game).

The Bourne easily won the local derby with Frensham II after electing to bowl first. Sam Charman, Roger Johnston and Seb Grundy (49) came out of the blocks quickly for the visitors, but once they were out, wickets fell regularly to the accuracy of veterans Mark Budd (4-34) and Dave Clarke.

Chasing 139, The Bourne knocked off the runs for the loss of only one wicket. Skipper Rob Croucher (41 not out) held firm, leaving the fireworks to 17-year-olds Jordan Frost, who hit 11 fours in his 57, and Nick Farr, seven boundaries in his 33 not out.