Priory won the toss on a hot one at Park Lane on Saturday and unsurprisingly, decided to bat against newly promoted Spencer.

Surrey's Ollie Sykes, fresh from success for Surrey in the T20 Vitality Blast, fell early for 12 but Luke Haughton (39) and Richie Oliver (84) pushed on, before Haughton was stumped with the score on 75. George Ealham (32) helped Richie take the score up to 118, but Priory could never get away from a decent and pretty tight Spencer bowling performance. Fraser Sheat (62) and Oliver put on 82 for the 4th wicket, before the latter fell with Priory on 200 – just when it looked as if the impressive Oliver was beginning to get on top of the Spencer attack and enable Priory to up the tempo. Tommy Bates (33) then joined Sheat to put on 61 in a lively 5th wicket stand and after 65 overs, Priory declared on 273-7.

Photo: Dom Murtagh

In reply, Darby got the visitors off to something off a flyer, but when he was dismissed by Mikey Munday (3-71) for a brisk 39, Spencer were looking in some difficulty at 71-3. However, Aussie overseas, Troy Johnson was a big stumbling block for the Llamas; all the more so when he was dropped in a fielding performance that was very much in the "could do better" category. Johnson and Allison took the score up to 150 before the 4th wicket fell and Spencer were very much in the hunt. Tommy Bates (2-44) and Jacob McLoughlin (2-24) reduced them to 195-7 though, and at that point, the win looked very much on the cards for the Priory. However, Harshil Patel, coming in at 9 for Spencer, scored a breezy 27 in 36 balls for the visitors and Spencer were themselves then in with a chance of the win before perhaps surprisingly, shutting up shop and settling for the winning draw.

Priory remain in 3rd spot, but Wimbledon now go top; and this week, Priory travel to Sunbury hoping to get back on the winning trail. And a date for the diary: Sunday July 20, Finals Day at Normandy CC where Priory will meet Wimbledon in the second semi-final at 1pm.

More photos here: www.reigatepriorycc.co.uk/photos/2025-06-28-mens-1s-v-spencer-1143138.html

And here: www.reigatepriorycc.co.uk/photos/2025-06-28-mens-1s-v-spencer--dom-murtagh-1143227.html