Priory make it back-to-back wins

Harry Finch finishes off Hastings Priory's win against East Grinstead with one of two consecutive sixes. Picture courtesy Regwood Photography

Having failed to win any of their first 15 Sussex Premier League matches this season, Priory made it two in a row with a convincing seven-wicket success at home to East Grinstead.

Priory did well to restrict third-placed Grinstead to 155-9 from their 58 overs after the visitors won the toss and chose to bat. John Morgan (2-31 off 10 overs) got Priory off to a good start by removing both opening batsmen for five runs between them.

Numbers three and four Darryl Rebbetts (60 off 102 balls) and Ollie Graham (25 off 85 balls) patiently got Grinstead’s innings back on track until Jed O’Brien trapped the former LBW and Dan Doram had the latter caught and bowled.

None of Grinstead’s final seven batsmen scored more than 16 as Priory’s spinners held the upper hand. Doram finished with fine figures of 3-30 off 19 overs, O’Brien also did well with 3-43 off 13 and Elliot Hooper conceded just 25 runs from his 10 overs.

Harry Finch then guided Priory to victory with another splendid innings at the top of the order. Fresh off an unbeaten 92 for Sussex in a Royal London One-Day Cup tie against Glamorgan three days previously, the 19-year-old made 93 not out with 13 fours and a couple of sixes to finish the game off.

Craig Fowle took 3-42 from 16 overs as a trio of Priory batsmen scored 17 between them before number five Tom Gillespie provided the support Finch needed with 33 not out from 53 balls.

Priory still just about have a mathematical chance of avoiding the two relegation places, although they trail third-bottom Bexhill by 50 points with two games remaining and 60 points available.

Standings (played 17 matches unless stated): 1 Preston Nomads 328pts, 2 Roffey (16) 323, 3 East Grinstead 316, 4 Horsham 288, 5 Eastbourne 286, 6 Brighton & Hove 266, 7 Cuckfield 251, 8 BEXHILL 234, 9 Three Bridges 200, 10 HASTINGS PRIORY 184.