Priory draw with Roffey

Mick Glazier bowls for Hastings Priory during the draw at home to Roffey yesterday. Picture by Simon Newstead

None of the day’s other four Sussex Cricket League Premier Division matches were completed as a result of the downpours which swept across the county, but more than 100 overs were bowled and over 460 runs scored at Horntye Park.

Roffey totalled 254-5 declared from 52.4 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat. Josh Fleming and Daniel Smith defied a couple of bursts of rain to get the visitors off to a decent start until Elliot Hooper struck twice with the score 79, firstly taking a good catch off his bowling to dismiss Smith for a run-a-ball 35 and then having Usman Khan caught by Imran Javed for a second ball duck.

Fleming found another ally in Rohit Jagota and with the sun now out, the pair comfortably put on 117 for the third wicket. Fleming eventually holed out to Henry Smith at long-on off the bowling of Jed O’Brien for 84 from 134 balls with 11 fours.

Jagota looked set to complete an excellent century only to fall agonisingly short on 97, caught on the drive by Mick Glazier in Priory captain George Campbell’s first over. Jagota faced just 73 balls, and hit nine fours and three sixes - one of which was a superb pull shot off Javed.

Campbell, making his first appearance of the season, had Kuldeep Rawat caught by Smith at backward point in his next over, prompting Roffey’s declaration. Mike Norris was 23 not out off 18 balls.

Priory got off to a bad start in reply as Hooper was caught by Fleming off Leigh Harrison for a ninth ball duck with the score just eight. Harry Finch and Leo Cammish, though, proceeded to put on 89 for the second wicket until Finch was trapped in front by George Fleming for 64 off 84 balls with 12 fours.

Javed fell to Rawat for seven off 34 balls to make it 136-3 and Priory lost their next two wickets with the score 157 including Cammish, who continued his very good start to the season by making 74 off 108 deliveries with eight boundaries and three sixes.

Campbell was next to go at 169-6, but any hopes Roffey had of winning the game were ended by a seventh wicket partnership of 34 between Freddie Hulbert and O’Brien (12). Hulbert was 29 not out off 32 balls as Priory closed on 208-7 from 51 overs.

Elsewhere in the Premier Division, Bexhill’s match at home to Cuckfield was abandoned after just 17 overs. Bexhill were in trouble at 42-6 with Callum Guest (20) the only player in double figures.