Bexhill suffer second straight defeat

But Bexhill did at least pick up a reasonable haul of 12 points and post a respectable total with the bat in a five-wicket loss away to perennial title chasers Horsham.

Both teams went into the match off the back of heavy opening day defeats and Bexhill - having been skittled for 56 against Brighton & Hove seven days previously - were asked to bat on losing the toss.

Bexhill would have been determined to make a better fist of it this time around and they duly did, posting a total of 225-6 from their full 58-over allocation.

The visitors got to 37 before losing their first wicket, Shawn Johnson being trapped LBW by Jamie Thornely for 19. Tim Hambridge (23) and Malcolm Johnson (29) made steady progress until Bexhill lost three wickets for 17 runs to go from 76-1 to 93-4.

Bexhill’s prospects didn’t look particularly good at that stage, but they did pretty well thereafter, scoring a further 132 runs and losing only two more wickets.

They lost their fifth wicket with the score 122 and sixth wicket 35 runs later before captain Johnathan Haffenden (49 not out) and overseas player Dean Crawford (48 not out) shared an unbroken seventh wicket stand of 68 to take Bexhill up to maximum batting points.

It proved not to be enough, however, as Horsham proceeded to reach their target for the loss of five wickets in 47.5 overs (from the 52 available to them).

Ben Shoare spearheaded the run chase with an unbeaten 84 from 140 balls for a Horsham side which kept wickets in hand thanks to some substantial top order partnerships.

Horsham had got to 66 before Bexhill made the breakthrough by bowling John Burroughs for 27. The hosts were just past the 100 mark when Bexhill claimed their next success, Josh Beeslee having James Johnson caught by Shawn Johnson for 12.

A third wicket partnership of 67 - which ended when Tom Johnson was caught and bowled by Beeslee for 51 - put Horsham firmly in charge and although Horsham drifted from 170-2 to 198-5, they always looked on course.

Nathan Roberts followed his three wickets with the ball earlier on by blasting an unbeaten 20 off 11 balls with the bat to help Shoare finish the job. Beeslee ended with 3-62 and there was also a wicket for Shawn Johnson.

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