Hastings make instant return to winning ways
Priory hit straight back from the previous weekend’s loss at home to Billingshurst with a five-wicket victory away to Chichester Priory Park on Saturday.
The result kept them third in the early league table - 18 points behind pacesetters St James’s Montefiore and Billingshurst.
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Hide AdSee also: * Hastings’ injury concerns over pace pair* Hastings suffer first defeat of season* Hastings quick to signal intent in promotion bid* Hastings United feature in FA Cup final programmeIt was a real collective effort from Priory as six different bowlers picked up wickets and three batsmen scored between 29 and 42.
After Chichester won the toss and chose to bat, they were bowled out for 160 in 44.3 overs. Elliot Hooper was the most successful bowler with 3-33 from nine overs, while fellow slow bowlers Jack Coleman (9-0-25-2) and Ryan Hoadley (8-1-19-2) also returned fine figures.
There was a wicket each for Adam Barton, James Pooley - on his return to the first team - and John Morgan, who didn’t concede a run in his two overs.
Morgan struck an early blow by having Simon Hasted caught behind for a third ball duck with the score just three.
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Hide AdChichester got back on track with a second wicket stand of 45 between Peter Lamb (25) and Daniel Wells (23) only to lose three wickets for six runs, the first of them to Pooley and the next two to Hooper.
Wickets fell at steady rather than regular intervals thereafter as Charlie Futcher (22), Ed McCarthy (13), Henry Condron (21) and Robert Carver (19 not out) made useful yet not decisive contributions in the lower middle order, giving Chichester something to bowl at.
Priory got off to a decent start in reply, reaching 42 before Ricardo de Nobrega was caught behind for eight. Fellow opener Tom Gillespie went on to make 38 off just 44 balls until being stumped by Carver with the score 68.
Hoadley and Jake Woolley added 40 for the third wicket to take Priory into three figures, and although the latter was run out for 11, the visitors were firmly on course for victory.
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Hide AdHoadley went on to make a game-high 42 and Greg Devlin chipped in with a run-a-ball 11, while Hooper blasted Priory past the winning post with 29 not out from only 15 balls.
The match sponsor was Site Seal Services.