Hastings hit rock bottom after heavy defeat

Priory were bowled out for just 84 en route to a 10-wicket loss at home to reigning champions East Grinstead on Saturday.

The home side elected to bat on winning the toss at Horntye Park, but was dismissed in 28.2 overs, the first 27 of which were bowled by Lewis Hatchett and Ian Sturmer.

Former Sussex left-arm paceman Hatchett ended up with superb figures of 6-52 from 14.2 overs and Sturmer took 3-23 off 13. Lee Granger came on to pick up the final wicket in his only over. Ex-Priory player Leo Cammish held three catches behind the stumps.

Just two Priory batsmen - Greg Devlin and Jake Woolley with 17 and 14 respectively - reached double figures on a tough afternoon against second-placed opposition.

Priory suffered an early blow when key man Joe Billings was bowled by Hatchett for five in the third over. Fellow opener James Pooley was dismissed in the same fashion by the same bowler for eight to leave Priory 21-2.

Devlin and Woolley staged a partial recovery by adding 26 for the third wicket until Devlin was caught by Will Adkin off Sturmer. Woolley was bowled by Hatchett eight runs later and Tom Gillespie was leg before to Sturmer before a further run had been added, leaving Priory 55-5.

That became 71-6 after John Morgan was bowled by Hatchett for eight and George Eldridge was caught behind off Sturmer for six just two runs later.

Jed O’Brien was caught behind off Hatchett to make it 83-8 and the final two wickets fell a run later, firstly Adam Barton to Granger for a duck and then Josh Beeslee became Hatchett’s final victim for five.

With such a small total to defend, Priory’s bowlers were almost facing mission impossible and Grinstead duly knocked off the runs in 19.1 overs without losing a wicket.

Darryl Rebbetts was 40 not out and Adkin unbeaten on 38. O’Brien conceded just 11 runs from his five overs, while Barton - still feeling his way back after injury - went for 32 from his eight.

Sussex League Premier Division standings (all played 7 matches): 1 Roffey 190pts, 2 East Grinstead 163, 3 Brighton & Hove 146, 4 Preston Nomads 135, 5 Horsham 125, 6 Eastbourne 118, 7 Middleton 92, 8 Cuckfield 76, 9 Ifield 76, 10 HASTINGS PRIORY 69.

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