Blow for Priory

SECOND Division leaders Stirlands dealt Priory's already faint promotion hopes a severe blow on Saturday at the Stanley Turner Ground. In a match Priory had to win, or at least avoid losing, their reckless batting allowed the visitors to emerge as deserved winners by 51 runs.

Stirlands' captain, Sean Heather chose to bat first on what looked a firm pitch. Despite losing a wicket in the second over, his team started positively, with Aussie Ryan Bonner making the most of his pinch-hitting role with a cavalier innings of 42.

It was former Sussex pro, Jamie Hall, who was the mainstay of the innings. Despite playing and missing numerous times at the unlucky Kashif Ibrahim, Hall remained unruffled and successfully saw off Lewes' Pakistani paceman. He then proceeded to attack the support bowlers and had made 86 when he was caught behind off Howard Lindsay. Heather himself was also in the runs, making 42 before he too fell to Lindsay, who finished with respectable figures of 3-68 in a 48-over innings of 217-6.

The home team's reply started badly, with Dave Luckes falling to a superb catch at short extra-cover by Heather. James Cruickshank was next to go, caught at second slip as he pushed forward. The in-form Ibrahim also seemed to have caught the bug, as he played a loose drive at Danny Cox and was caught behind off a faint inside edge.

The upper order collapse was complete when skipper Michael Murray chased a wide slower ball from Cox, and was caught at second slip to leave the innings teetering at 30-4.

Tim Daniels and Nick Beechey then set about repairing the damage with some delightful strokes. Just as the home side seemed to be regaining the initiative, though, Daniels shovelled a full-toss straight to mid-off and was caught for a classy 40.

Beechey followed soon after, drilling a chest-high catch to mid-off, to put Stirlands back in the driving seat. The result was never in much doubt after that and, despite a defiant 33 from Richard Eborn, Priory's innings was wrapped up on 166, with seven overs to spare.

qDespite low scores, the match between Lewes Priory III and Rottingdean in the East Sussex League Division Nine was a most entertaining affair.

Electing to bat first, Rottingdean were struggling at 28-4 as Alan Hills (3-25) steamed in.

Not daunted by their perilous position, Rottingdean's batsmen continued to go for their shots and were playing their way out of trouble at 80-4 before Alistair Maiden (5-22) took a hand.

Set 130 to win, Priory got off to a bad start with in form opener Daffyd Charles going for a duck.

It was left to skipper Mike Bonsor (17) and Jake Lucas (38) to restore stability to the Priory innings, then, on Bonsor's dismissal, Dan Fine (50*) took the battle to the Rottingdean bowlers and looked to have ensured a comfortable victory before a late flurry of wickets gave Rottingdean brief hope. But Fine reached his 50 with the winning shot to see Priory home at 133-7.