Finch praises Priory spirit

Priory recovered from 95-9 to post 154 before bowling Bexhill out for 141 in a Sussex Cricket League Premier Division thriller at The Polegrove.

Finch, Priory's captain, said: "It was very, very pleasing, but more pleasing for me is that our team ethic and team spirit were great, and we had a never-say-die type of attitude. It showed we've got a bit of steel."

With several young players in the side this year, Finch acknowledged before the campaign started that survival is their priority this year and that the Bexhill game was of massive significance even at such an early stage.

"It was a win and I'm delighted, but I'm not going to get carried away by any stretch," continued Finch, who will coach a Sussex League team against a Sussex XI in a Twenty20 match at the County Ground on Sunday May 30.

Priory have another away match today (Saturday) against old rivals Horsham, who drew with last season's Division Two champions Chichester Priory Park in their opening fixture last weekend.

Finch went on: "They've got players who've been playing in the Premier League since it began and they've got some very good county youngsters. I'm under no illusions that Saturday's going to be a totally different game.

"Horsham is a county ground with county facilities and the wicket will probably spin there. We go there quite positive, we enjoyed last week and I'm confident we can take a good XI there and at least give them a game."

Tim Eldridge is unavailable, but Freddie Hulbert should return from injury, and Finch planned to bring in Alex Collier and Tom Gillespie to a 14-man squad which he will obviously whittle down to 11 by today.

For the second week running, Horsham are likely to be without Chris Nash and Michael Thornely, both of whom opened the batting for Sussex in their four-day County Championship game against Middlesex which began on Wednesday.

But Will Beer could well play having again been left out of the Sussex team. The young leg spinner took three wickets and scored 33 at the top of the order for Horsham against Chichester.

Priory will entertain Horsham in Sussex 2nd XI Division One from 1pm at Horntye Park Sports Complex, while the thirds and fourths will begin their campaigns in the East Sussex League.