Bexhill set for home T20 cup clash

Sussex Premier League side Bexhill will host Division Five East team Glynde & Beddingham in round one of the Gray-Nicolls Sussex T20 Cup.

Bexhill captain Johnathan Haffenden said: “We do enjoy the T20s. We’re a young team, athletic in the field and we’ve got some young boys that like batting in it as well.

“Apart from last year when we had a terrible day at Eastbourne, we’ve generally done alright in the T20. It’s just something we enjoy playing in and I’m sure it will be the same again.”

Bexhill’s availability is good for a match which will get under way from 1pm at The Polegrove.

The hosts will be keen to put a win on the board after losing by 71 runs away to Bickley Park in round one of the ECB Royal London Club Championship on Sunday.

It was a bit of a missed opportunity for Bexhill, who were looking good at 121-1 in reply to Bickley Park’s 221-6 before subsiding to 147 all out.

“We put ourselves in a really good position,” said Haffenden. “I was happy with how we bowled and the fielding wasn’t too bad. I thought 221, if we batted well, would be very gettable and it nearly was, but we collapsed.”

Bradley Payne and Shawn Johnson bowled well with the new ball for the opening eight overs, and despite the fielding restrictions, Bickley were only going along at three-per-over.

Ethan Guest and Joe Cox also bowled well, and in fact, all of the bowlers Bexhill used, which included three spinners, did a decent job, although Bickley hit out towards the end to get themselves up to a competitive total.

In reply, Bexhill moved into three figures just one wicket down with Malcolm and Shawn Johnson batting very well. Malcolm fell just before drinks having made his second half-century already this season and after Shawn fell just short of his fifty to make it 131-3, the batting fell away.

Some iffy early season shot selection contributed to Bexhill’s downfall against a Bickley side possessing a good leg spinner in the brother of Pakistan star Shoaib Malik.

“It was a lovely wicket to bat on,” added Haffenden. “And if you got in, you should’ve gone pretty big. It was good to have a run out and there were a lot of positives, but a lot of things to learn as well.”

Bexhill’s second team, meanwhile, will travel to Seaford in the Gray-Nicholls Sussex 2nd XI T20 Cup this afternoon.

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