HELLINGLY Cricket Club’s Under-16s are on their way to the County Ground at Hove following their win over Brighton and Hove in the Champions League T20 Play Off.

Max Wootten and Harry Gape were the stars for the Hailsham unit as they squeezed into the final of the Sussex Cricket Board EACA Junior Leagues Champions League final with a 13-run victory.

After winning the toss and deciding to bat first Hellingly were soon in trouble when the Brighton fast bowler Jamie Piper (2-12) bowled David Rippengal and Harry Wooten in quick succession.

Max Wootten and Chris Morris set about rebuilding the innings and thanks to some clean hitting Hellingly were quickly back on course for a competitive score.

Morris was caught on 22 and Wootten eventually fell for 62 after a brilliant knock and Hellingly finished on 129 with Jack Sampson adding 14 vital runs at the death before being bowled by Marco Lincoln.

Having lost four batsmen for ducks – David Rippengal, Harry Wootten, Gape and Tommy Trenaman – it was a good score.

Hellingly’s Harry Ring, Harry Wootten (1-22), Chris Morris (1-21) and Max Wootten (2-15) limited the scoring and picked up early wickets thanks to some superb ground fielding.

Max Wootten dismissed Alex Bone for 1 before bowling Dominic Hemblade for a golden duck.

Morris saw off Lincoln for four off 11 balls. Then Harry Gape held onto a low drive from Hounsome (51) off the bowling of Harry Wooten.

The opener smashed eight boundaries in his half century before Gape tore through the Brighton and Hove order.

Samir Bahemou battled hard for his 19, so too Gabriel Martin (10), but they were both dismissed by Gape.

Kieran Buck blasted two fours in his eight from just seven balls and a not out run-a-ball seven from Jamie Piper could only bring his team’s total up to 116-8 of their 20 overs.

Hellingly will play Three Bridges in the final on September 13 under floodlights.

The match starts at 7pm.