‘60 more points should be enough’

That’s the view of first team coach Ian Cox as Bexhill go into the last five games of the season with a great chance of preserving their Sussex Premier League status.

He said: “I reckon 60 points will probably do us. There’s five games to go and 150 points up for grabs. Two-hundred-and-fifty points (in total) will do it.”

Last weekend’s thrilling win over Eastbourne has given Bexhill a 36-point cushion above the two relegation places. Bexhill are on 186 points, second-bottom Three Bridges are on 150 and rock-bottom Hastings Priory on 116.

“You just don’t know,” Cox continued. “Bridges could win three games on the trot couldn’t they and then it’s a different game. But if we play well, we’ll stay up whatever anyone else does - end of story. But we’ve got to play well still.”

Three of Bexhill’s remaining games are away from home, including potentially pivotal meetings with Bridges and Hastings, and their two matches at The Polegrove are against top three opposition.

Despite reaching the semi-finals of the Gray-Nicolls Sussex T20 Cup and last 64 of the ECB Royal London Club Championship, Bexhill are yet to win on their travels this summer.

But their record on home soil is very strong with four victories in the league, two in the national knockout competition and three in the county T20 tournament.

Next up for Bexhill is a trip to seventh-placed Brighton & Hove tomorrow (Saturday). All-rounder Callum Guest is available and Bexhill are hoping that opening batsman Tim Hambridge will return from a hand injury which forced him to miss out last weekend, but Lloyd Waughman won’t feature as his wife is about to give birth.

Ashar Zaidi probably won’t be involved either, but Bexhill are optimistic of seeing the Sussex professional again before the season’s end.

“I think we’ll see him again this year,” added Cox. “It will be nice if he does play another couple of games. If he plays it’s a bonus for us.”

TOMORROW’S CRICKET FIXTURES

Sussex Cricket League, 1st XI Premier Division (12.30): Brighton & Hove v Bexhill; Three Bridges v Hastings Priory.

1st XI Division 2 (1): Findon v Crowhurst Park.

1st XI Division 4 (1): Rye v Steyning.

2nd XI Division 1 (1): Bexhill v Brighton & Hove; Hastings Priory v Three Bridges.

2nd XI Division 3 (East) (1): Crowhurst Park v Hellingly; Glynde & Beddingham v Rye.

East Sussex League (1.30), Division 1: Mayfield v Iden.

Division 2: Robertsbridge v Battle.

Division 3: Little Common Ramblers v Forest Row.

Division 4: Bexhill III v Herstmonceux.

Division 5: Pett v Rotherfield.

Division 6: Hastings Priory III v Udimore; Iden II v Linden Park III.

Division 7: Battle II v Mayfield II; Burwash Weald v Crowborough II; Linden Park IV v Robertsbridge II.

Division 8: Firle II v Little Common Ramblers II; St Peters III v Bexhill IV.

Division 9: Bexhill V v Bells Yew Green III; Sidley v Pett II.

Division 10: Hailsham III v Rye III; Tunbridge Wells Borderers II v Crowhurst Park III.

Division 11: Crowhurst Park IV v Robertsbridge III; Little Common Ramblers III v Willingdon III.

Division 12: Hailsham IV v Westfield; Rye IV v Tunbridge Wells Borderers III.