Priory keen to put up a fight against title hopefuls

Hastings Priory's cricketers will face title hopefuls East Grinstead tomorrow (Saturday) eager to atone for the hammering they endured the last time the teams met.
Hastings Priory hope to have Adam Barton back in the ranks for the trip to East Grinstead.Hastings Priory hope to have Adam Barton back in the ranks for the trip to East Grinstead.
Hastings Priory hope to have Adam Barton back in the ranks for the trip to East Grinstead.

Priory lost the reverse fixture by 216 runs on the opening day of the Sussex Premier League season and captain Tom Gillespie suffered a dislocated shoulder to boot.

“I think that was our most disappointing performance when we didn’t show what we can do,” said Priory coach Ian Gillespie, who is keen for the team not to lose cheap wickets with the bat. “It will be a tough game and a difficult place to go, but we go into every game positively.”

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Second-placed Grinstead are just a point behind leaders Roffey having won eight of their nine contested league games so far.

Priory are up to sixth in the table and unbeaten in their last four matches in all competitions, although they could only draw at home to bottom club Ansty last weekend.

They hope to be boosted by the presence of Sussex opening batsman Harry Finch for the first time in two years. Although a Sussex regular in the longer forms of the game, Finch hasn’t featured in the first two NatWest T20 Blast fixtures. Priory also hope to welcome back fast bowler Adam Barton.

Sussex Premier League standings (all played 9 matches): 1 Roffey 255pts, 2 East Grinstead 254, 3 Horsham 225, 4 Cuckfield 213, 5 Preston Nomads 185, 6 HASTINGS PRIORY 160, 7 Brighton & Hove 153, 8 Middleton 153, 9 BEXHILL 89, 10 Ansty 73.