Bexhill still upbeat

Malcolm Johnson’s side occupies the second and final demotion place in the Sussex Premier Cricket League, and is now only a point above rock-bottom Eastbourne having played an extra game.

First team manager Hamish Russell said: “I personally believe we can stay up and I think the players do. I think they get a bit of stage fright on the day, certainly against the bigger sides.

“We’ve come up against a few sides who have four or five big name players with county experience or are part of the set-up at the moment and we can go very, very quiet.

“But we’ve got so much ability in that team. You can’t teach them or train them to do it, but the moment they get some belief, I think they’ll string two or three wins together.”

Having lost their last three league games, albeit all against top four sides, Bexhill are hoping to get back on track in what Russell thinks could be the toughest game of the season.

Bexhill are struggling numbers-wise for the long trip to sixth-placed Chichester Priory Park tomorrow (Saturday) with Callum Guest, Tim Hambridge, Gary Johnson and Jamie Wicks all missing.

“This weekend we really are looking to our first team players to perform,” continued Russell. “You can’t rely on two or three people, but the likes of Shawn (Johnson), Vaughany (James Vaughan) and Malcolm (Johnson) need to make a big score for us this weekend.”