Bexhill draw at Horsham

Joe Cox took four wickets for Bexhill in their Sussex Premier League draw away to Horsham

The result means that Bexhill have lost just one of their last five Sussex Premier League games and are 25 points above the two relegation places.

Horsham totalled 256-8 after losing the toss and being asked to bat. Shawn Johnson made an early breakthrough for Bexhill by bowling John Burroughs for one with the score 11.

Joe Cox left Horsham 47-2 by bowling James Johnson for 13, but opener Ben Shoare and number four Craig Gallagher then batted the hosts into a good position.

The two men put on 88 for the third wicket until Shoare was trapped LBW by Callum Guest for 52. Guest struck again to remove Matthew Bidlake with the score 166, but Gallagher went on to compile a century at virtually a run a ball.

He was eventually fifth man out with the score 223, caught by Guest off Cox for 102 off 109 balls with 14 fours and a six. Gallagher’s departure was the catalyst for a mini collapse as Bexhill picked up four wickets for 17 runs.

Guest - who took five wickets in the previous weekend’s win over the Sussex Development XI - dislodged Horsham captain Sam Attfield for 30 to finish with 3-81 off 21 overs, while Cox claimed a couple more to end with 4-64 from 12.

Bexhill got off to a bad start in reply. Travis Muller dismissed both openers by the time 18 had been scored and Kamau Leverock struck 10 runs later to leave the visitors 28-3.

Shawn Johnson made 14 before falling to Stuart Whittingham to make it 59-4 and that became 77-5 when Guest was bowled by Muller, but a sixth wicket partnership of 86 between Cameron Burgon and Malcolm Johnson got Bexhill right back on track.

The in-form Burgon eventually departed for a very good 69 off 130 balls with seven fours and a six. Bexhill captain Malcolm Johnson, seemingly relishing his new role at number seven, went on to make 40 from 74 deliveries.

Although he fell with the score 187 and another wicket went down before a run was added, Bexhill had done enough to avoid defeat as they closed on 191-8 from 52 overs with Dean Crawford 18 not out. Muller took 5-28 off 13 overs.

Standings (played-points): 1 Roffey 10-208, 2 East Grinstead 11-194, 3 Preston Nomads 11-191, 4 Brighton & Hove 11-176, 5 Horsham 10-169, 6 Eastbourne 10-164, 7 Cuckfield 11-163, 8 BEXHILL 11-144, 9 Three Bridges 11-119, 10 HASTINGS PRIORY 10-91.