Bexhill chopped down by Wood

Dean Crawford bowling for Bexhill against Brighton & Hove. Picture by Steve Hunnisett (SUS-140706-181305002)

Malcolm Johnson’s side went down by 111 runs at home to Brighton & Hove in the Sussex Premier League largely thanks to an eight-wicket blast from visiting seamer Matt Wood.

Bexhill bowled their opponents out for 227 in 51.1 overs after winning the toss and opting to field. Brighton’s openers put on 29 before three wickets fell for just 10 runs, Shawn Johnson claiming the first two and Dean Crawford the other.

Joe Cox then removed Lucas Barker for 37 off 36 balls to leave Brighton 59-4. Sussex professional Chris Liddle clubbed 28 off 13 balls with five fours and a six before being undone by Jamie Bristow-Diamond and when Chris Atherton was run out by Shawn Johnson nine runs later, Brighton were 104-6.

Two significant partnerships, however, rather halted Bexhill’s momentum with Jordan Rollings making a crucial 72. Rollings put on 48 for the seventh wicket with Paul Hardwick, who fell to Crawford for 31 off 34 balls, and 61 for the eighth wicket with Adam Mates, who was snapped up by Liam Bryant for 19.

Bryant then saw off Rollings before another run was added and Crawford finished the innings off by having Wood caught behind by Jack Richardson. Crawford ended with 3-37 off 10.1 overs, Bryant took 2-24, Shawn Johnson 2-51, Bristow-Diamond 1-26 and Cox 1-37.

Bexhill were bowled out for 116 from 38 overs in reply with only two of the top nine batsmen reaching double figures. Malcolm Johnson was first to go after being caught off Henry Turner with the score seven and Bexhill were 16-2 when Callum Guest became Wood’s first victim.

Wood struck again seven runs later and things went from bad to worse for the home side as three wickets fell for four runs, all of them LBW to Wood (8-40 off 19 overs) and two of them for second ball ducks, to leave Bexhill in dire straights at 36-6.

Shawn Johnson made it to double figures, but when he fell for 14 and another wicket down one run later, Bexhill were 52-8. Richardson put up some resistance with 22 before Bristow-Diamond (25 not out) and Cox (13) at least took Bexhill past the 100 mark with a last wicket partnership of 42.

Standings (played five matches unless stated): 1 Roffey 115pts, 2 Horsham 106, 3 Cuckfield (6) 97, 4 East Grinstead 88, 5 Preston Nomads 82, 6 Three Bridges (6) 75, 7 Brighton & Hove (6) 73, 8 Eastbourne 50, 9 HASTINGS PRIORY 48, 1O BEXHILL 38.