REIGNING champions Sutton sank to the bottom of the Premier Division table after another disappointing defeat against an under-strength Reigate Priory.

The visitors were inserted on a used, green wicket at Park Lane and were soon in trouble as Alex Mendis took the first five wickets to leave Sutton floundering on 52. Two of those to depart – David Sampson and Gary Outram – failed to score a run.

Only Arun Harinath (30), Krishna Dwarka (16) and Phil Sampson (19) reached double figures as Sutton were dismissed for a paltry 98.

Dwarka was caught in the slip cordon and Russell Coombe (3) had his off stump ripped out of the ground by Richard Stephens (3-29).

Sutton made Priory fight for the win however and had the hosts in trouble at 28-2 after opener Neil Saker and then Chris Murtagh were removed by Greg Betz and Sampson respectively.

With overseas star Aidan Blizzard unavailable, Alex Richards had opened the batting alongside Saker and it was his knock of 38 which proved the foundation of the hosts' eventual success.

Jason Roy joined Richards and scored a quick 21 to take Reigate to within 40 of the target.

Michael Foster was the next batsman in, grafting with Richards to relieve any building pressure. Both managed to find the boundaries and although Richards was finally removed lbw to David Mitchell, Reigate were only nine runs short. Foster fell on 14 but Jon Perkins and Simon King guided the hosts home.

The second XI claimed a point from a losing draw against Reigate at Cheam Road while the third XI turned a winning situation into a defeat.

Chasing just 132, on another poor wicket, Reigate slipped to 57-8 thanks to Steve Hall's seven-wicket haul but they got home just in time.

The fourth XI also lost to a strong Addington side with Mike Abram scoring 58.