Bexhill well beaten by title-chasing Bridges

Johnathan Haffenden top-scored with 24 during Bexhill Cricket Club's defeat away to Three Bridges on Saturday.

The men from The Polegrove lost by eight wickets against second-placed Three Bridges in Sussex Cricket League Division Two on Saturday.

After losing the toss and being asked to bat, Bexhill were all out for 133 in 42.1 overs. Six batsmen got to double figures, but none made it to 25.

Neil Blatchly was caught off Conor Golding for seven with the score 11. Bexhill had moved on to 40 when the other opener, Danul Dassanayake (18), became the first of Matt Blandford’s five victims.

Bexhill later lost two wickets for five runs to sit 68-4, firstly Shawn Johnson to Blandford for 20 and then Cameron Burgon to Michael Rose for 14. Rose picked up two more wickets with the score in the 80s - Liam Bryant for 11 and Will Smith for a single.

From 87-6, Bexhill enjoyed their best partnership of the innings as captain Johnathan Haffenden and young Joe Sarro put on 35 for the seventh wicket until Haffenden was caught off Blandford for 24.

Bexhill scored just 11 more runs after that as Archit Patel and Blandford bagged the final three wickets, the last of them Sarro for 16.

Blandford ended up with 5-33 from 11.1 overs, Rose 3-22 off 10, Patel 1-11 from seven and Golding 1-33 off six.

Bridges proceeded to reach their target in just 24 overs for the loss of two wickets against a Bexhill bowling attack missing the Peters brothers.

The home side had made its way to 61 before Blatchly had Oliver Blandford caught behind by Smith for 17. Bexhill’s only other success came 58 runs later when first team debutant Eddie Lemmon had Walid Ghauri stumped by Smith for 54.

David Winn took Bridges past the winning post with an unbeaten 52. Byron Smith was Bexhill’s most economical bowler, conceding just 14 runs from his six overs, two of which were maidens.

Sussex Cricket League Division Two standings (all played 13 matches): 1 Mayfield 315pts, 2 Three Bridges 313, 3 Haywards Heath 242, 4 Billingshurst 242, 5 St James’s Montefiore 240, 6 Chichester Priory Park 195, 7 Bognor Regis 192, 8 Ansty 178, 9 BEXHILL 166, 10 Lindfield 137.

See also: * We still need three more wins, says Bexhill coach* Bexhill pull off important win in battle against the dropBenefit from an ongoing discount on your Observer by joining our voucher membership scheme. Once you’ve subscribed, we’ll send you dated vouchers which can be exchanged for your paper at any news outlet. To save money on your Observer, simply click here (www.localsubsplus.co.uk)