Frustrating afternoon for Bexhill

Nonetheless, there was much for Polegrove followers to be encouraged about in by far their best performance of the campaign.

"We played really well," said captain Steve Phillimore, "as well as I can remember under my (two-and-a-bit seasons' long) captaincy, right from ball one. But as we said last week, it's difficult to bowl a side out in 47 overs."

And bowling Stirlands out looked highly unlikely when the visitors, whose innings was spearheaded by David Chodia (61), were cruising along at 113-3.

But the Bexhill partnership of Chris Topp, whose 5-61 took his wicket tally to 13 in three games, and Premier Newsagents-sponsored Ian Ellis (2-44), who bowled with genuine pace on the first occasion he's turned his arm over this season, ripped through to take four wickets for one run and, at 114-7, Phillimore admitted "we quite fancied it".

Their charge was stopped in its tracks, though, when Paul Dorkings, who earlier claimed 4-52 with the ball, took advantage of attacking fields to club a quick-fire 45 that went a long way to Stirlands saving the game. Bexhill still had nine balls at the last pair, but were unable to dislodge Tom Coppin or Jim Feast and Stirlands finished on 193-9.

Earlier in the day, Bexhill amassed 251-6 with the bulk of the runs coming from Hamish Russell (66) or Richard May (89), who fashioned his second half century of the season. John Holland (28) and Aussie Jesse Lewis (31) kept the scoreboard ticking.

Phillimore added: "We just took the game away from them. The opening stand (between Russell and May) was 154 in 30 overs and it was the best batting performance (and highest score) by a long way in my time as captain.

"Stirlands weren't as strong as I thought they would be, but they are still a good side. We played really good cricket so it was disappointing not to win, but I was really, really pleased with how everybody played."