Hastings Priory can’t quite force notable win over Eastbourne

Tom Gillespie’s unbeaten 76 helped get Priory to a score of 194 after they were put in at Horntye and in the Eastbourne reply only David Twine (39) scored more than 20 as the visitors struggled – but their last-wicket pair held out for a draw, 110-9 the closing score.

It leaves Hastings second in the table – 15 points behind leaders West Chiltington and Thakeham and 19 in front of third-placed Eastbourne.

Scowen said: “Unfortunately we were just one wicket away from what would have been a great win and would have extended the gap on Eastbourne.

"Losing the toss (yet again) and being stuck in was not the end of the world for us, thinking that after Eastbourne’s last two results were draws they wanted to be more in control of the result.

"A difficult wicket and some very good bowling from Eastbourne had us up against it really, with no-one really being able to get fully in and get a score.

"Tom Gillespie, back in the side while he is in the country, played beautifully for 76 not out and got us up to a more than competitive score of 195, just short of maximum batting points, and gave us 48 overs to try to bowl them out.

"Unfortunately John Morgan went down with a hamstring injury, leaving us a bowler short.

"Adam Page and Fred Hulbert bowled superbly up top, taking wickets and being really disciplined. The early wicket of Jacob Smith a real key one, then also getting Scott Lenham early was a huge help.

“Spud ended up bowling from one end while Shawn Johnson followed Fred, Eastbourne never really tried to accelerate or put us under any sort of pressure, eventually blocking out for the draw and we were unable to take that precious 10th wicket.

“But overall it was a really pleasing performance in which we played all of the cricket and it keeps the gap between us relatively healthy.”

Hastings Priory make the journey west to St James this Saturday. Scowen said: “That’s another tough game but we hope to walk away with 30 points and keep in the hunt for top spot.”