Bexhill lose battle of basement boys

Admittedly Heath were welcoming back several players yet to don the whites this summer but the standard of Bexhill's bowling, in the absence of Mark Nightingale and Adam Wickenden, fell well short of the required standard for this level.

Captain Steve Phillimore, who saw the opposition amass 284-4 after putting them in, said: "Our bowling has been our weak link so far this season and again we bowled too many four balls and conceded too many extras (54). We batted well again but we still shouldn't have been all out. I would still like to think we will finish above Haywards Heath."

The match started ominously with a four being hit from the first ball and it set the tone for the first 13 overs which went for 79 runs before Richard May was introduced and made the initial breakthrough.

The returning Lloyd Waughman (1-64 off 16 overs) was the pick of a largely off-colour attack. He bowled economically and well-deserved his wicket, thanks to a good catch by wicket-keeper Neil Broughton.

Heath got on top of the bowling from here on in, however, and put on 97 for the third wicket. May (3-58 from eight overs) was again brought on and picked up another two wickets as the opposition looked for quick runs with wickets in hand, which they achieved by scoring 100 from the last 14 overs. Ed Williams was the top scorer for Heath with 86 and Chris Gale made a quick-fire 60 not out.

Bexhill had a bad start to their innings with Hamish Russell and May dismissed by successive deliveries in the fourth over. Jeff Topp and Mark Roughley batted well though until the tables were turned on Topp who was dismissed soon after.

Bryce Turnbull came in and made an immediate impact taking 21 runs from one over of opener Richard Hollamby.

Roughley and Turnbull started to build a good partnership until Roughley hit out once too often and was caught for 24. Jeremy Wassell suffered the same fate as did Turnbull who was dismissed for 63 - his maiden Sussex League half century.

Dave Munro kept the ball rolling with some powerful hitting but wickets kept falling and Bexhill turned to survival mode. Phillimore, Broughton and Jack Munro all tried to hang around but when Dave Munro holed out on the boundary Bexhill were all out for 218 from 45.4 overs.

As well as Hollamby (3-35), off spinner Paul Edmunds took 3-53 from 10 overs.