Bexhill pile pressure on neighbours

The victors moved up to fifth-from-bottom and some 35 points clear of rock bottom Worthing, while second-bottom Sidley stay 10 points above the current wooden spoon holders.

Asked to chase a target of 200-9, Sidley got home for the loss of five wickets.

Bexhill captain Chris Topp said: "It was a very good day. It's always nice to win a local derby and two wins on the trot is obviously good. We bowled and fielded very well and we were happy to keep them down to 200."

Sidley skipper Jonathan Haffenden lamented: "We shouldn't have let them beat us. We threw it away a little bit. We definitely had enough runs and we bowled well enough, but I just felt our fielding let us down."

The visitors, who were beaten for only the second time in nine games, again hit the 200 mark after being put in to bat on a chilly, grey afternoon at The Polegrove.

Their fourth successive score of 200 or more was built upon almost the entire line-up supporting Peter King's half-century.

King struck an 11-boundary 63 at number five and received useful back-up from Safi Ahmed (25) and Phil Belfield (25). Haffenden, Hunnisett, Scott Woodroffe, Tyrone Wildman, Paul Thompson and Ian Northorpe all chipped in as well.

Bexhill's man of the match Ian Ellis (5-58) was easily the pick of the bowlers, removing five of Sidley's top six. Simon Bulteel (2-60) and Chris Topp (2-37) took the remaining wickets.

The latter part of the Sidley innings was disrupted by a heavy rain shower which forced the players to take an early tea and made the wicket slightly livelier.

Bexhill struggled in the early part of their reply, losing Lloyd Waughman in the first over, plus Malcolm Johnson and Richard May by the time the score had reached 38.

Jeremy Wassell (19) and Josh McLean started to get things back on track before McLean, whose 69-ball 64 included seven fours and two sixes, found another ally in the form of Ellis.

McLean was bowled by Safi to make the score 132-5, but an unbroken stand of 69 between Ellis (54 not out) and Steve Phillimore (32 not out off 29 balls) took Bexhill home in 42 overs.

Sidley's wicket-takers were King (2-58), Safi (2-30) and Wildman (1-86), but their cause wasn't helped by Chris Deeprose hobbling out of the attack after only four balls.