Bell and Leverock are on song at Brighton as Horsham go second

That’s after they overcame ‘ridiculously windy’ conditions to win away at Brighton & Hove by 71 runs.

A late unbeaten 60 from wicketkeeper Sam Bell was crucial in giving the visitors a good total in tough conditions, before Bermudan Kamau Leverock took his first five-wicket haul on English soil as the hosts were bowled for 143.

The win moved Horsham up to second and Gallagher said: “We’re on a good run of games but with all due respect we’ve won against sides we should be beating. We’ve still got some injuries but it’s nice that we’ve finally got a more settled side.”

Having lost the toss Horsham were stuck into bat, and Brighton’s opening bowlers Matt Wood (3-38) and Chris Atherton (2-71) played the conditions well to put them in real trouble at 44-5.

Gallagher added a typically breezy 28, but it was the late knocks of 60 not out from Bell and 29 from Stuart Whittingham which got Horsham to 214-9 from their 58 overs. “It was a crucial partnership. In many respect’s Sam’s knock won us the game,” Gallagher said.

In reply Brighton similarly lost regular wickets, with Rippon providing the main resistance with 91. But Leverock took 5-34 and spinner Michael Munday took his customary four wickets as the hosts were all out in 37.4 overs. “It’s Kamau’s first five-for in England so he deserved congratulations,” Gallagher said. It leaves Horsham 34 points behind leaders Preston Nomads.