Priestley was not especially well known as a cricketer, although he was a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (M.C.C.). He played some minor games for the club in 1891 and 1893 without much success. Early in 1895, he was a member of Slade Lucas's cricket team which toured the West Indies in 1894–95. He made his first-class debut against Barbados on this tour and played sixteen games, of which seven were first-class. However, his highest score in any innings was 36 runs. Later in 1895, he played his only first-class match in England, for the M.C.C. against Warwickshire but scored just two runs in the game.