Bexhill knocked off top after rain-hit weekend

Bexhill's cricketers lost top spot in the Sussex Premier League after a weather-affected weekend.
Malcolm Johnson top-scored for Bexhill in the draw away to Preston NomadsMalcolm Johnson top-scored for Bexhill in the draw away to Preston Nomads
Malcolm Johnson top-scored for Bexhill in the draw away to Preston Nomads

Johnathan Haffenden’s side picked up just two points from a rain-hit draw away to Preston Nomads on Saturday.

All of the division’s other four games were abandoned, meaning every other club picked up 10 points. Nomads, incidentally, came away with 11.

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Bexhill travelled to the West Sussex village of Fulking in bright sunshine, but soon after they won the toss and went out to field, drizzle set in.

With Bexhill’s opening pair misfiring, it was left to Joe Cox (5-1-23-2) to come on and get the breakthrough, dismissing Daniel Phillips for 43 off 39 balls with the score 64 and the other opener, Tim Moses, for 25 to make it 85-2.

And with Callum Guest (18-3-54-1) bowling one of his miserly spells, the brakes were applied. As the rain got heavier, play was finally stopped with the ball like a bar of soap.

Tea was taken and the overs recalculated, which left Nomads with a 10.4-over smash and Bexhill 45 overs to chase their total.

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Nomads got 75 in these overs, with Aaron Phillips (57 not out) and Jeremy Green (52 not out) sharing an unbroken fifth wicket partnership of 183.

That gave them a total of 216-4 from 51 overs and Bexhill’s failure to pick up six wickets having chosen to field meant they didn’t pick up a bowling point. Nick Peters (6-0-24-1) was their other wicket-taker.

Bexhill felt their target of 217 in 45 overs was gettable, but they were soon reduced to 9-2 and 20-3 before more heavy rain forced the players off at 42-3.

Bexhill had six overs fewer to bat because of the rain break, but still had to get 217 to win - a near impossible task with the outfield now very slow.

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The Johnson brothers, Malcolm (74) and Shawn (62), forged a superb 132-run partnership for the fourth wicket until both perished in the pursuit of bonus points.

Tom Powell (17 not out) hit out well, but Bexhill missed out on a third batting point by a solitary run as the players left the field in virtual darkness at around 8.20pm. The visitors finished on 174-6 from 39 overs.

Credit should go to the umpires and players for trying to play a game and get a result.

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