Bexhill still looking for first win

BEXHILL are still looking to register their first win of the Sussex Division Two season after a disappointing 63-run reverse to league newcomers Pulborough.

Opening wash-outs at Worthing and at home to Preston Nomads were succeeded by a defeat at high-riding Cuckfield but they are still outside the bottom two.

Captain Steve Phillimore said: "We didn't put them under enough pressure with the ball. No-one bowled badly badly, we just bowled too many four balls as a unit. There would be one an over and they punished them. I was very disappointed to lose I must admit but we've got to learn from it and hopefully they will."

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The visitors won the toss and elected to bat on a good Polegrove wicket. But Bexhill had an encouraging start when Jeremy "super glue" Wassell plucked a one handed ripper of a catch at gully off the bowling of Mark Nightingale.

The early dismissal was a blessing in disguise for Pulborough though as the new partnership yielded over 150 runs for the second wicket. The Bexhill attack did not help the cause by bowling poorly, none worse than Australian Bryce Turnbull who had 80 runs taken from his 14.3 overs.

Nightingale took a second wicket in his return spell and finished with the figures of 2-63 from 17 overs. With wickets in hand Pulborough then accelerated their run rate until they declared at 236-2 from 50.3 overs. Ashley Clarke was the standout batsman scoring 113 not out.

Bexhill started their reply solidly, but when Jeff Topp was dismissed after 11 overs a small collapse was triggered with three further wickets falling for an additional 10 runs. Turnbull (21) and Wassell (27) halted the trend and put together an attacking partnership. They almost wrestled the momentum in Bexhill's favour until Turnbull was adjudged lbw and Wassell fell soon afterwards.

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Phillimore arrived at the crease for the first time this season and went about rescuing the innings for the home side. He batted with the determination that the top order should take notice of, defending the good balls and dispatching the bad ones to or over the boundary.

As the time and overs ran out for Bexhill they turned their attention to holding on for a draw and with East India Tandoori man of the match Phillimore batting well at one end they had a good chance. He was supported well by Richie May, Neil Broughton and young Jack Munro enabling the skipper to reach his half century.

But with only 10 minutes remaining Phillimore was given out leg before for 58 to give Pulborough a well-deserved first victory in the league.