Priory not giving up on title

Hastings Priory aren’t giving up on retaining the Sussex Cricket League.

But trailing Premier League leaders Horsham by 36 points with three matches remaining, vice-captain John Morgan admits an eighth title is now looking unlikely.

Morgan said: “We’re third favourites now. The points difference with games running out is quite difficult now. It’s looking unlikely, but we’ve got a never-say-die attitude.”

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Priory are 19 behind second-placed Nomads - a gap which could become as many as 49 should Nomads win their game in hand against the Sussex Development XI.

“We can really enjoy the next three games and pretty much the pressure’s off us really,” Morgan went on. “Horsham and Nomads are probably looking at each other, and not worrying about us too much.”

Priory have won their last two matches, and their next two are away to third-bottom Chichester Priory Park tomorrow (Saturday) and fourth-bottom Worthing next weekend. They finish at home to Nomads on September 1.

“All we can do is win our next three games,” continued Morgan. “All of those games will be result-driven games; there’s no real advantage to any of those sides in blocking out for a draw.”

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Chichester have lost three of their last four encounters, and were routed by 136 runs in June’s reverse fixture when Morgan took seven wickets and Kirk Wernars scored an unbeaten century.

“Whilst we’ll respect them, we’re confident we can pick up another 30,” added Morgan. “Man for man we believe we’re a better team and what we’ll look to do is play on the fact that they’re in deep trouble in terms of relegation.”

George Campbell, Max Finzel and Tom Harvey should be back, but Joynal Ahmed and Matt Machan are expected to be unavailable, and Wernars is considered unlikely to play.