Sussex seem set to finish the SE League programme on a low note.

At Royal Ashdown Forest, a match they expected to win, Kent ran riot with a 10-2 victory. Sussex managed to win only one of the 12 encounters, taking only half-a-point from the singles.

Captain Colin Wells said: "We can offer no excuses. Our team know the course well. Regrettably, we could not master a very fit Kent team.

"Selection of a solid team has been difficult with no pre-year introduction of colts or juniors who should have been considered before the season started instead of relying on the old faithfuls to carry on.

"We have some marvellous youngsters. Some of their quality is above belief but perhaps they lack match experience."

This winter, Sussex are to hold seminars and intense training including course management, manners and etiquette. Emphasis will be on how to work as a team.

Wells said: "We don't want bad losers. The aim is to bring on a team in line with the top counties.

"For our final match against Dorset on August 31 at Dudsbury, I intend to be an Anne Robinson.

"I will get rid of those who think they are the best individually, but not part of a team, drop those who cannot think on the course and drop those who prefer to play ball in the heather and, instead, play to win."

At Royal Ashdown, Wells discovered there were too many weak links. Perhaps the biggest shock was Craig McCollum, at plus three the lowest handicap in Sussex, going down 6 & 5.

At 19, McCollum is viewed as a great prospect but he had a wretched time at the hands of Stuart Wilson made all the worse by a gallery consisting of both parents and girlfriend. No wonder he stumped off hardly saying a word at the end of the match.

RESULTS, foursomes (Sussex names first): Craig McCollum & Alistair Malins lost to Steven Tilley & Stuart Wilson, one down; Lawrie Tremlett & Andrew Smith lost to Eren Behcet, one down; Rob Bury & Jack Budgen beat Ricky Jones & Ed Richardson, one up; Todd Adcock & Chris Purton halved with Ian Lewis & Nick Olsen.

Singles: Tremlett halved with Matt Ford; Malins lost to Tilley 2 & 1; McCollum lost to Wilson 6 & 5; Budgen lost to Richardson 3 & 2; Bury lost to Jones, one down; Adcock lost to Behcet 2 & 1; Smith lost to Olsen 2 & 1; Purton lost to Lewis 3 & 2.