REIGATE Priory's marvellous limited over form continued as they won the regional final of this season's Twenty20 Cup.

The Llamas shone at Billericay Cricket Club, however, as they beat both Bromley and Chingford to win more silverware as the South East Regional winners.

They now have a home national quarter-final clash with Henley-on-Thames on Sunday September 13.

Priory's regional semi-final was against the Kent Champions, Bromley, who batted first on a fast bouncy pitch perfect for shot making.

Bromley had two ex-England players in their ranks with Ed Giddins and Alan Wells, but the pace of Alex Mendis soon accounted for Wells and Priory looked in control of events at about 60-4 after 10 overs.

Unfortunately, bowling indiscipline gifted Bromley over 20 runs in wides and no balls, with subsequent free hits, and Bromley finished their 20 overs with 148- 9.

Simon Ecclestone and Matt Bennett opened the Priory reply and put 50 on the board at the required rate before losing Bennett and then skipper Chris Murtagh shortly afterwards.

At 76-2 at the half-way stage the innings looked to be in control, but the introduction of the spinners, taking the pace off the ball, slowed the Priory batters significantly and with four overs remaining some 40 runs were required.

With Ecclestone still at the crease anything was possible, however, and the target was reduced to 11 off the last over and Ecclestone's magnificent 84 not out sealed victory with one ball to spare.

In the other semi-final the Essex champions, Chingford, had chased 169 to beat Finchley, from Middlesex, so the stage was set for a Chingford and Priory final.

The Llamas could not possibly have got off to a worse start, however, and after just six overs Chingford were on 95-0 and the bowling indisciplines of the semi-final were in abundance again as wides, no balls and free hits saw Priory on the verge of total collapse. Murtagh's captaincy was exemplary, however, as he brought himself on to bowl with his occasional leg-breaks and a superb spell brought him 2-16 in his allotted four overs.

Jon Gale and Toby Briggs fought back well to take a couple of wickets each and the slow mediums of Chris Morgan and the usual control and pace from Ian Hewett also dragged the scoring rate down and after the disastrous start a score of 194-9 in Chingford's 20 overs was a lot better than it could have been.

Taylor had batted superbly for Chingford in scoring 84 and batting for all but two balls of the innings.

Faced with such a massive target a good start was vital for Reigate, but the run out of Ecclestone in the first over and the dismissal of Bennett left Priory at 7-2 after two overs and with a mountain to climb. For the second time in the match Chris Murtagh strode to the rescue and together with Ian Hewett they took the score up to 94 at the half-way stage before Murtagh was lbw for a superbly crafted 52.

Second XI skipper Jon Gale then joined Hewett and after a slow start began to smash some huge sixes and the pair suddenly made Priory believe that victory was achievable.

With two overs to go and 17 required Gale was caught behind for a tremendous 40 but with five wickets left Priory were favourites.

Ian Hewett then proceeded to smash three sixes in five balls to win the match, incredibly with just over an over to spare.

Not surprisingly Hewett's 95 not out, with eight sixes, earned him the man-of-the-match award and Chris Murtagh collected the Shepherd Neame team trophy.

The Twenty20 format may have its critics, with the purists, but for the sizeable crowd at Billericay they witnessed some of the finest entertainment imaginable.

Priory are now three games away from an all expenses trip to Barbados, courtesy of Cockspur Rum, but first they have to overcome Henley-on-Thames at Reigate on September 13 and if they should succeed they will play the national finals, live on Sky TV at the Derby County Ground.