Top half finish in Priory's sights

A top half finish is very much in Hastings Priory's sights as the cricket club moves into the final four games of its Sussex Premier League season.
Jed O'Brien bowling for Hastings Priory during last weekend's win at home to Preston Nomads. Picture by Simon NewsteadJed O'Brien bowling for Hastings Priory during last weekend's win at home to Preston Nomads. Picture by Simon Newstead
Jed O'Brien bowling for Hastings Priory during last weekend's win at home to Preston Nomads. Picture by Simon Newstead

Last weekend’s fine win at home to Preston Nomads lifted Priory up to sixth in the 10-team division and within seven points of their fifth-placed victims.

Priory coach Ian Gillespie said: “I think it’s been a very frustrating season, but if we could get to a cup semi-final and finish in the top five, I think that would be quite a satisfactory season.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Three of Priory’s remaining matches are against teams below them, including the long trip to Middleton tomorrow (Saturday).

Priory will be eager to produce a much better display against seventh-placed Middleton than they did in June’s reverse fixture, which they lost by 86 runs.

“We batted very, very poorly, probably our worst batting display of the season,” added Gillespie. “We felt we really didn’t do ourselves justice in that game and never really got into a position to win it.

“We would certainly like to atone for that. Middleton obviously have got potentially a very good batting line-up and we want to give a good account of ourselves there.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Priory could well be unchanged as the playing format returns to limited overs for the remaining games.

Sussex Premier League standings (all played 14 matches): 1 East Grinstead 334pts, 2 Roffey 315, 3 Cuckfield 273, 4 Horsham 262, 5 Preston Nomads 227, 6 HASTINGS PRIORY 220, 7 Middleton 213, 8 Brighton & Hove 201, 9 BEXHILL 113, 10 Ansty 106.