Roberts stars again but Bexhill lose out

Sam Roberts top-scored for Bexhill in their defeat at home to Preston Nomads

Johnathan Haffenden's side lost by six wickets at home to Preston Nomads, despite another half-century from Sam Roberts.

A shortage of runs was Bexhill's downfall as they were all out for 150 in 36.4 overs after winning the toss in bright sunshine and batting in a sea mist for most of their short innings.

Roberts batted well, as usual, and some of the others might be well advised to take a look at how he constucts an innings. The player-coach made 62 off 91 balls with 11 fours until being sixth man out with the score 142.

Prior to that, Bexhill had been on the back foot from the moment they lost Malcolm Johnson to Carl Simon (13-4-52-4) with the score seven. Shawn Johnson was bowled by Simon for 10 just 12 runs later.

Ethan Guest (9) and Haffenden (12) got starts, but after they had both also fallen to 42-year-old Antiguan pace bowler Simon, Bexhill were 65-4.

Liam Bryant hit a few nice shots to equal his highest first XI score with 29, sharing in a fifth wicket partnership of 61 with Roberts.

The left-handed Bryant eventually became the first victim of Adam O'Brien, who ran through the tail with 4-41 off 5.4 overs. Kashif Ibrahim picked up the wickets of Roberts and Ian May (12).

Nomads got off to a brisk start in reply, with openers Oliver Gatting making a run-a-ball 23 and Daniel Phillips 22 off 19, although they did fall within nine runs of each other, to Joe Cox and Josh Beeslee respectively, to leave the visitors 50-2.

Tim Moses and James Wilkes-Green put on 54 for the third wicket until the former was caught behind off Nick Peters for 37 off 40 balls.

Peters later claimed a second victim, Dominic Shepheard for 20 with the score 136, but Wilkes-Green saw Nomads home in the 34th over with an unbeaten 45.

Standings (played 13 matches unless stated): 1 Roffey (12) 261pts, 2 Horsham 260, 3 Cuckfield 250, 4 East Grinstead 224, 5 HASTINGS PRIORY 222, 6 BEXHILL (12) 221, 7 Preston Nomads 197, 8 Brighton & Hove 158, 9 Billingshurst 131, 10 Worthing 104.

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