A GROUP of street cricketers have been crowned champions of an exciting format of the game.

Warden Park’s under-13s lifted the Mid Sussex Street20 Cricket Championship after an enthralling final against Tanbridge.

Park needed 20 to win from five balls in the final and held their nerve to record a thrilling victory.

In the earlier rounds Ben Cadian, Luke Wood and Tommy Green were all in fine form with the bat, with Smith smashing an unbeaten 46.

The boys had beaten Weald, Downlands and St Paul’s in the group stage to reach the knockout stage of the competition.

Head coach and PE teacher James Gentry said: “The boys performed extremely well and even when under pressure they managed to find an extra gear.

“The advantage the Warden Park team had is that all five boys must bowl and you concede four runs for a wide or no ball, so good quality bowling is crucial and we have plenty of that in our squad.

“Ben Cadian is a fantastic captain and organised the team extremely well.”

Street20 Cricket is a simplified version of the longer format of the game with the aim of encouraging youngsters to get involved by making the sport more accessible and exciting.

Six players make up a team, and every player apart from the wicketkeeper has to bowl an over.

Pitches are set up anywhere from school halls to outdoor basketball courts.

Runs are scored by hitting walls, ceilings and by the traditional method of running between the wickets.

In 2010, the 10-week Street20 Cricket, held in Burgess Hill, came second in the West Sussex Local Empowerment Awards.

The free sessions were part of the Participate Mid Sussex Programme and were organised by St Andrew’s Cricket Club, in partnership with Mid Sussex District Council, Burgess Hill Town Council, and the Sussex Cricket Board.