Sean Heather lost the toss for only the second time this season and Stirlands were asked to field.

They started with undisciplined bowling to James Beeney and Michael Gould, although a chance went begging behind the stumps from Gould.

Beeney and Gould put on 105 for the first wicket in just 16 overs.

But with Stirlands facing having to chase a big total, Max Barson and Graham Bush found a tighter line and length.

Bush removed Beeney caught and bowled and Sussex pro Rory Hamilton-Brown chipped one to square leg for only eight. Gould brought up his 50 and continued to battle against good bowling.

Stirlands consistently took wickets despite stern resistence from the academy's middle order.

Nathan Ball bowled an unbroken spell of ten overs, but he could not stop Gould reaching 100 with the score on 220 and with 12 overs still to go.

Ball took wickets at the other end and when golden arm Nick Hunt was introduced, they bagged the last five wickets for 30. The academy side finished on 266 all out, Ball finishing with four for 59 and Hunt two for three.

Stirlands felt it was a score they could chase on a quick outfield and they had a good start, with Barson and Daniel Oliver putting on 35 for the first wicket before Barson was unlucky to be given out caught at short-leg off his thigh pad.

Heather and Oliver rotated the strike well, hitting anything loose.
They took the score to 108 before Oliver was caught at second slip off the bowling of Jordan Rollins.

Dan Cox tried to take the game to the academy but was stumped off Andrew Thornley for four.

Heather survived a couple of chances and brought up his 50 with an outside edge through the slips.

With 150 still required off the remaining 20 overs, Ball came in to bat intelligently, finding the gaps and running hard.

Heather managed to find his touch and with ten an over needed from the final 13 overs, Stirlands were still in it.

Heather decided it was time to be more positive and brought up his ton with a six over mid-wicket.

With 40 still required, Ball was bowled trying to hit one over mid-wicket, bringing Hunt in. He and Heather got the score down to nine needed off ten balls.

Another twist saw Heather caught on the boundary for 131 off 135 balls including 14 fours and six sixes.

They continued to score a run a ball, leaving one needed off the last ball, but Dave Chordia was run out trying for a quick single to win the match – leaving the scores level and the game drawn.

Stirlands took 15 points to move out of the bottom two, and they can take plenty of encouragement from a fantastic run chase that was a big improvement on their previous three performances.

Hastings v Stirlands

Stirlands decided to bat on what looked like a flat, docile wicket on a sunny afternoon in the east of the county.

Stirlands lost Nick Hunt, Sean Heather and Dan Cox – after Heather was hit twice in three balls in a delicate place, to the amusement of his team-mates.

Max Barson, who opened in the absence of Daniel Oliver, dug in well during a good opening bowling spell from John Morgan and Tim van Noort.

Nathan Ball helped him put on 36 for the fourth wicket.

Michael Glazier bowled Ball after he had hit a six into the clubhouse, bringing Dave Chordia in. They put on 42 before Chordia misjudged the length of a fullish ball from Chris Morris.

Barson reached 48 before chipping one to mid-wicket off Glazier.

Stirlands limped to an under-par 141 before being all out. Anthony Ender made a quickfire 18 off 19 balls.

With the wicket pretty flat, bowling tightly was essential – but that's not what happened. Stirlands bowled both sides of the wicket with no consistency and in-form James Beeney took advantage.

He punished anything awry and, with Toby Finzel, took Hastings to 133.

Dave Briance removed Beeney for 77 off only 59 balls.

Finzel took Hastings to a comprehensive nine-wicket win with 61 not out off only 66 balls.