Priory pick up useful points in first away loss

Hastings Priory's cricketers suffered their first away defeat of the season on Saturday, but did at least pick up a useful points haul.
Elliot Hooper top-scored with the bat for Hastings Priory in the defeat to Preston Nomads.Elliot Hooper top-scored with the bat for Hastings Priory in the defeat to Preston Nomads.
Elliot Hooper top-scored with the bat for Hastings Priory in the defeat to Preston Nomads.

Priory earned 12 points from a high scoring six-wicket loss against Preston Nomads and are now 46 above the Sussex Premier League’s two relegation places.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Priory achieved maximum batting points by posting 240-7 from their 50 overs with half-centuries from Leo Cammish and Elliot Hooper.

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Priory suffered an early setback with the loss of Ryan Hoadley to Craig Alexander (9-0-45-3) for a second ball duck, but recovered well with decent partnerships for the next three wickets.

James Pooley and Justin Dsouza put on 49 for the second wicket until the former was trapped leg before to Stephen Rigg (7-1-29-1) for a run-a-ball 25.

Dsouza, back in the first team having played the previous two games in the seconds, added 66 for the third wicket with Cammish before being bowled by Will Collard (10-0-43-1) when one short of his maiden Priory fifty.

The good work was continued by a fourth wicket stand of 67 between Cammish and Hooper, which ended when Cammish was bowled by Nathan Poole (10-0-44-2) for 53 off 113 balls - his highest Priory score of the season so far.

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Priory captain Jason Finch made a quick 16 off 10 balls to take the total past the 200 mark. Having fallen for 49 against Cuckfield the previous weekend, Hooper made it to his half-century this time, eventually falling for 51 off 68 balls to make the score 235-7. John Morgan was 15 not out off 11 balls at the end.

Nomads made fairly light work of the run chase, though, as they got home in just 39.1 overs for the loss of four wickets.

They quickly made their way to 45 before Matt Cammish (3.1-0-31-1) had Nathan Poole caught by Hooper for 18 off 15 balls.

A second wicket partnership of 125 between Daniel Phillips and Oliver Gatting really took the game away from Priory, even though Pooley (4-0-18-1) pinned Phillips leg before for 80 off 104 balls and Jed O’Brien (7-0-39-1) bowled Gatting two runs later for 61 off 60 balls.

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Jonty Jenner and Dominic Shepheard added 62 brisk runs for the fourth wicket, and Nomads were just seven from victory when Jack Coleman (7-0-46-1) bowled Jenner for 43 off 37 balls. Shepheard was 22 not out off 18 balls at the end.

Sussex Premier League standings (all played 5 matches): 1 Roffey 128pts, 2 East Grinstead 126, 3 Brighton & Hove 110, 4 Cuckfield 108, 5 Preston Nomads 104, 6 Horsham 97, 7 Middleton 92, 8 HASTINGS PRIORY 78, BEXHILL 32, 10 Ansty 28.