Promotion in Bexhill hands

Chris Topp’s side is three games away from an instant return to the Sussex Cricket League Premier Division and two of them are at The Polegrove.

Last weekend’s tremendous victory away to Cuckfield, coupled with defeats for Glynde & Beddingham and Haywards Heath, has moved Bexhill into the second promotion place behind runaway leaders Worthing.

They hold a nine-point advantage over third-placed Glynde with fourth-placed Goring By Sea and fifth-placed Haywards Heath a further two and six points worse off respectively. Sixth-placed Cuckfield are 33 points back, but not out of it.

Bexhill are at home to seventh-placed St James’s Montefiore tomorrow (Saturday) and Worthing on September 3 with a trip to Goring in between. Unusually, Glynde and Haywards Heath still have to play each other twice.

Bexhill’s bid, however, is being hit by holidays. James Vaughan misses the next two games, Jack Richardson is out of tomorrow’s clash and Jamie Bristow-Diamond is finished for the season.

Bexhill are hoping that Callum Guest will be available after having to drop out of the Cuckfield encounter and Ian Ellis is expected to be available for the next two games.

Scott Woodroffe believes that Sidley still have “more than a good shout” of clinching the Division Three (East) title despite being knocked off the top after losing to new pacesetters Hellingly last weekend.

Sidley captain Woodroffe said: “Saturday could’ve been a big boost for us, but now they’ve got themselves into a good position. We’re still in with more than a good shout.”

Now down in third, Sidley are 12 points behind the leaders and two back of second-placed Seaford with three matches to go. Fourth-placed Ansty, who are 12 adrift of Sidley, are the only other team realistically in with a chance.

Sidley will finish their away programme with a trip to second-bottom Uckfield Anderida tomorrow (Saturday) before contesting back-to-back home games against Ansty and Keymer & Hassocks. Paul Nice should be available.

Both matches will start at 12.30pm. See today’s Bexhill Observer for the full articles.