Bexhill make flying start to cricket season

But it was a close run thing because Chris Topp's side crept home with one wicket to spare after Ian Ellis scored the winning runs to overhaul a target of 204-8.

"We made it a bit tougher than we needed to I think," Topp said, "and it was a bit nerve-wracking at one point, but it was a good team effort and we showed a lot of commitment."

Ellis, batting at seven, took them past the winning post with a crucial 33 not out from 64 balls which included two fours and two sixes.

But the role played by Simon Bulteel was equally significant. Bexhill's man of the match bludgeoned two fours and four sixes in his 28-ball 36 at number nine.

"It's important that people step up and do the business," Topp added, "and the lower order especially contributed well."

Two members of the top order also contributed, and in double-quick time too. Australian Josh McLean hammered 57 off 32 balls with 11 fours at the start of the innings before Richard May struck nine boundaries in his 47 from 44 balls.

The slightly worrying thing for Bexhill, though, was that six batsmen, including four of the top six in the order, failed to score more than seven as Dave Mates took 4-19 off 11 overs.

But successfully chasing more than 200 is always a good effort and it was a decent win against a team only relegated from the top flight last season.

"We were probably a little bit disappointed that we didn't restrict them to under 200," added Topp, "but nevertheless we weren't exactly unhappy with chasing 204."

They weren't chasing any more than that because batting heroes Bulteel and Ellis also excelled with the ball.

Bulteel finished with 5-69 from 16 overs, while Dale Saunders Plumbing & Heating Services-sponsored Ellis claimed 3-50 off 17 overs.

After a sticky start Steyning recovered strongly through numbers five and six Gary Hunt (61) and Dave Kennett (38). The deadly duo struck out these two and Bulteel went on to take two more victims as Steyning just crossed the 200 threshold.