'That’s the feeling we want to remember' - Eastbourne skipper's message to his young team

Smith's men pulled an incredible win from nowhere to beat Roffey in a thrilling final at the County Ground at Hove.

Malcolm Johnson hit 64 as Eastbourne posted 159-6 form their 20 overs.

Roffey appeared to be cruising to the total when they were 137-3 from 17 overs. But the last three overs went for just 10 runs with the loss of three wickets.

Smith said after the game: "I'm a bit speechless to be honest. I only thought we were going to win when they needed 13 off the last ball.

"I honestly thought Henry [Crocombe] was going to bowl a wide and it would keep going and going. But it’s unbelievable really."

Smith thought 160 might be a little under par, he said: "When I missed the last four balls of the innings and got no runs that might come back to bite, but it didn’t at the end.

"But we fielded so well, and they are such a young a group.

"For a lot of them, and for myself personally, it’s the first thing we have won. Hopefully it’s the first of many. I have said to the guys now that’s the feeling we want to remember, and when we get into another game which is tight, remember that feeling."

And Smith praised Johnson for his innings and his catch to dismiss Mike Norris. He said: "The catch was almost more important than the innings.

"He batted so well. He’s not had the best of times and he has struggled to get going. He’s a confidence player and that has deserted him a bit but he really showed his class today and the player he is."

And Archie Lenham, who took 1-30 form his four overs, and man of the match Joe Pocklington were also praised by Smith.

He said: "They are special talents. Archie, just the way he held his nerve. Rohit [Jagota] and Jibran [Khan] played some class shots off him but I just kept saying ‘every ball there’s a chance of getting them out’.

"And getting Rohit out was the ball that probably won us the game.

"Joe goes under the radar a bit with Archie and some of the other younger ones getting the headlines. He does his job every week and he’s a quality bowler."