O’Brien takes seven as Priory go top

Jed O'Brien took seven wickets for Hastings Priory in their victory at home to Three Bridges

Priory won by 50 runs against Three Bridges on Saturday to make it six victories out of six at Horntye Park and move eight points clear at the Sussex Cricket League Division Two summit.

The hosts were all out for 204 in 51.1 overs after choosing to bat against a Bridges side which skittled them for just over 50 in May’s reverse fixture.

Joe Billings made a season’s best 58 from 72 balls at the top of the order and the other main contributor was Tom Gillespie, who hit 51 off 70 deliveries at number five.

Adam Maharaj-Newman was the next highest scorer with 20, while O’Brien (18) and Henry Smith (14) made handy runs down the order to help bring up maximum batting points. For Bridges, Michael Rose took 4-62 from 18 overs and Matt Blandford 3-43 from 12.1.

Bridges began their reply well enough, with opener Conor Golding scoring 45 and number three Bradley Gayler - who made a hundred in the reverse fixture - hitting 37.

But left arm spinner O’Brien dismissed both and went on to claim five more victims. He finished with 7-44 from 18 overs - his best figures in league cricket - and has now picked up 22 wickets in his last five appearances.

John Morgan and Elliot Hooper claimed a wicket each, and there was also a run out as Bridges were all out for 154 in 47 overs. None of the final eight Bridges batsmen scored more than 14.

Standings (all played 11 matches): 1 HASTINGS PRIORY 261pts, 2 Lindfield 253, 3 Worthing 217, 4 Three Bridges 217, 5 Pagham 196, 6 Findon 190, 7 St James’s Montefiore 181, 8 Ansty 159, 9 Ifield 156, 10 CROWHURST PARK 88.

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