Sevenoaks Vine put themselves right into the Kent Cricket League Premier Division championship mix with a victory at league leaders Bexley but their bid was disrupted when beaten at home by Blackheath twenty-four hours later.

Bexley and Sevenoaks were the top two in the form guide so a tight encounter was expected. The visitors won the toss and elected to bat and struggled at first but Luke Schlemmer held the innings together with a patient 52. That allowed them to reach 203 for 8 despite Jas Singh taking 3 for 37 from his ten overs.

In response, Bexley also found it hard going and although Ryan Cartwright, playing as a batsman only due to a back injury, scored 38 and Adam Ball notched 33, wickets fell regularly and they were bowled out for 170.  The wickets were shared with Miles Richardson, Andrew Reid-Dick and Schlemmer each taking two wickets at under three an over.

Then, on Sunday, Sevenoaks hosted Blackheath and when asked to bat first, they did not hang back.   Evert Bekker top scored with 68, Anthony Shales hit 55 and Schlemmer fell shy of a second half century in two days, scoring 42. The hosts ended on 287 for 7 with Mehedi Abbas claiming 3 for 65. 

However, the weather then intervened and Blackheath were set a revised target of 163 from 20 overs which they achieved losing just two wickets. Dipayan Paul paved the way with 69 not out from 52 deliveries and Tanweer Sikander plundered 59 off 38 balls.

One day earlier, Blackheath also won chasing a revised target, this time at Beckenham. They elected to field first and kept Beckenham down to 181 for 8 off their 50 overs. Wickets fell regularly and the hosts were indebted to wicket-keeper James Balforth’s 33 not out and a quick-fire 28 from Shojab Ali. Arafat Bhuiyan returned figures of 4 for 47 while Paul conceded just fifteen runs from his ten overs.

Bad weather caused a delay to Blackheath’s innings and they were set a target of 155 in 38 overs Jack Hersh got the innings underway with a solid 35 but Harry Jones took 3 for 35 to keep the hosts in the game. However, Mahi Mahfuzul took matters into his own hands with 49 not out off 42 balls to ensure that they won in relative comfort five wickets and 2.4 overs to spare.

Defeat for second placed Tunbridge Wells was the shock of the day as visitors Bromley recorded their first league win of the season. The hosts won the toss and elected to bat but found it hard going against accurate bowling. Michael Waller scored 39 but Jam Ali dismissed him on his way to 4 for 27 as Tunbridge were bowled out for 160.

After David Smith had dismissed Kent 2s Sam Smith, Lewis Hickford joined Shiraz Husain and they took the score to 87 before Husain also fell to Smith for 31. Hickford held the innings together with a superb 70 not out as Bromley won by four wickets with five balls remaining. 

Sandwich Town claimed nine points from their incomplete game at home to Bickley Park. The visitors won the toss and scored 182 for 8 in their 50 overs. Daniel Magin top scored with 37 after Ranjit Singh had held the top of the innings together with 34. Michael Ridley was unbeaten on 33 at the close of the innings. The wickets were shared with Ben Smith recording the best figures taking 2 for 26 from his ten overs.

Only one maiden over was bowled in Sandwich’s reply before bad weather forced the players off the field and they were not able to return. They are still two games behind and winning both would take them to the top.

Lordswood’s game at home to Holmesdale suffered a similar fate. Carlos Maynard scored 54 and Ben Fawcitt scored 30 but only one other batsman reached double figures as Holmesdale were hustled out for 146. Taylor Chandler took 3 for 37 off 7 overs while Touseeq Shah (2 for 15) and Hugh Scott (2 for 19) each bowled ten tight overs. Rain then fell and Lordswood’s innings never started so the match was abandoned as a draw.

Picture supplied by Keith Gillard.