Petworth Park Cricket Club enjoyed a three-from-three weekend, with both senior league sides registering victories on Saturday and the Sunday XI completing the clean sweep with a friendly home win against Arundel Grasshoppers.

The standout story belonged to an Australian recruit who has been at the club barely a fortnight.

The 1st XI's trip to Southwater 2nd XI produced the tighter of the two league contests.
Set 200 to win after the hosts posted 199 for 9, captain Tom Creed's side got home with three wickets to spare, finishing on 200 for 7.

The innings that settled the chase came from Sam Dowd, a recent Australian recruit to the club, whose composed 45 arrived at exactly the moment the innings needed steadying.

Dowd, who joined Petworth Park only a fortnight ago, was named player of the match - recognition for a 4 wicket spell with the ball, and for the temperament he showed batting against a Southwater attack that had pulled the chase tight. On this evidence, his arrival looks like one of the more useful pieces of recruitment the club has done in some time.

Back at Petworth Park, the 2nd XI's afternoon was a more comfortable affair. Under captain Sagar Desai, the home side put together 244 for 9 batting first, before restricting Forge Wood 1st XI to 198 for 8 to win by 46 runs.

The standout figure on the bowling card belonged to young Ted Carter, who returned 2 for 29 from a nine-over spell. An economy rate barely above three an over pegged the visiting batters back at precisely the point in the innings where they would have been looking to attack.

Carter's discipline through that period went a long way toward sealing the result. He was a deserving player of the match for the 2nd XI.

Sunday's 20-over friendly against Arundel Grasshoppers completed the clean sweep, Petworth's 124 for 6 proving enough to win by 15 runs after the visitors were held to 109 for 8. The afternoon also marked a debut for Sam Banting, who didn't have to wait long to register his first boundary in club colours.

Three games, three wins and a Saturday double that will sit well with both captains as the season begins to gather pace. The club has invested heavily in playing strength and infrastructure over recent seasons and weekends like this one are the kind the committee will hope to bank a few more of.

Both senior sides return to action next Saturday, 16th May. The 1st XI host Brighton & Hove 4th XI at the ground, while the 2nd XI travel to face Kilnwood Vale CC's 1st XI.

Paul Sadler’s 3rd XI also start their campaign away at Worthing CC 4th XI.

Well done all involved and good luck next weekend.