Super Hastings thrash Nomads

Priory repeated their impressive victory in June's reverse fixture at Horntye Park with an even more comprehensive win in the return match on Saturday. Josh Hahnel and Elliot Hooper made major contributions with the bat, while Jed O'Brien bagged another five-wicket haul with the ball as Priory won their final Sussex Premier League away fixture of the season by 143 runs. Nomads won the toss and elected to field, but may well have been regretting the decision as Priory proceeded to amass 278 all out in 55.2 overs. Although Priory lost James Pooley with the score six, Joe Billings (42 off 49 balls) and Hahnel got them going with a second wicket partnership of 90. Leo Cammish fell for 10 with the score 115, but Hahnel and Hooper put Priory on course for a sizeable score with a fourth wicket stand of 93. Hahnel eventually departed for 96 off 134 balls with 10 fours and two sixes - the highest of his four fifties this season. Hooper went on to make 69 from 79 balls with seven fours - his fifth league fifty of the season (in addition to a century). He is now the division's fourth highest runscorer with 592 at a superb average of 59.20. Priory lost six wickets for 27 runs at the end of their innings, despite possessing a very deep batting line-up and captain Tom Gillespie making 27 at number six. The bowlers, nonetheless, had plenty of runs to play with and they duly dismissed Nomads for 135 in 45.2 overs. The seamers took the first three wickets and the spinners bagged the last seven. Finn Hulbert (7-1-29-2) made the initial breakthrough by dismissing Oliver Gatting (12) with the score 21 and Bradley Payne (9-1-31-1) had David Smith caught behind a run later. When Hulbert got rid of Jonty Jenner, it was 36-3. Nomads rallied with a fourth wicket stand of 48, but once O'Brien (14-4-34-5) opened his account by dislodging Daniel Phillips for 41, wickets fell at regular intervals. No other batsman scored more than 17 as O'Brien tore through the middle and lower order, ably supported by fellow left-arm spinner Hooper (15.2-2-35-2). Standings (all played 18 matches): 1 Roffey 409pts, 2 Cuckfield 386, 3 BEXHILL 354, 4 Horsham 320, 5 HASTINGS PRIORY 315, 6 East Grinstead 305, 7 Preston Nomads 267, 8 Brighton & Hove 257, 9 Billingshurst 195, 10 Worthing 150. See our comprehensive sports coverage in the Observer every Friday. Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live. Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on. 1 Make this website your homepage 2 Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Sport-Sussex3 Follow us on Twitter @SportSussex 4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here. And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!