Victories in the Kent League Premier Division for Bexley and Tunbridge Wells, along with Sandwich Town stumbling to their first defeat of the season, opened up the chase for the championship.
After twelve games, Bexley have 186 points with Tunbridge Wells seven points behind. Sandwich remain in third place on 160 points but have played two games fewer. It remains to be decided on how they will make up those games.
Bexley avenged their earlier season defeat at home to Blackheath with a good win at the Rectory Field. Calum Basey and Adam Ball were missing so Aiden Briggs returned to the side and made the most of his opportunity. He and Ryan Cartwright put on 120 for the first wicket before Cartwright was dismissed for 48. Griggs went on to score 65 and paved the way for Shaun Evans to crack 72 and Ben Aldred, 34 not out as the visitors finished on 288 for 4. Blackheath didn’t help their cause by conceding 41 extras including 23 wides.
In their reply, Dipyan Paul (52) and Jack Hersh (41) put on 76 for the second wicket but when they were dismissed, the hosts never really worried the league leaders and finished on 206 for 8. Adam Riley was the most successful bowler with 3 for 32 in his ten overs.
Tunbridge Wells also elected to bat at Holmesdale and their batting heroes from a week earlier were again in the runs. Chris Williams followed up last week’s 77 with 60 and 74 from Alex Williams seven days earlier was almost equalled but he was dismissed for 68. Michael Waller scored 32 as the visitors finished on 263 for 8. Anthony Bissett took 3 for 46 for the hosts.
Despite Will McDowell’s 48, Mark Epps’ 37 and 36 from Luke Blackaby, the target was too much for Holmesdale who were bowled out for 206. Waller took 3 for 34 and the rest of the wickets were shared amongst the other bowlers.
Andrew Reid-Dick took wickets at the right times to keep Sandwich Town in check when they won the toss and elected to bat at Sevenoaks Vine. He took 4 for 41 as the visitors were held to 215 for 8. Robert Goatham top scored with 75 and Rory Smith weighed in with 46.
Michael Cowdrey scored 61 from 42 deliveries and Evert Bekker (56), Chris Vernon (34), Miles Richardson (32 not out) and Charlie Williams with 25 not out, ensured that Sevenoaks claimed victory by three wickets with four and a half overs to spare. Jan Gray took 4 for 39 for Sandwich but to no avail.
Bickley Park returned to winning ways with a home victory over Lordswood. Having been asked to bat, Bickley were bowled out for 216. Touseeq Shah’s impressive new ball bowling reduced them to 36 for 4, with him finishing with 4 for 29. However, Alex Moen with 49, Daniel Magin’s 44 and 34 from Matthew Patrick helped the hosts to recover and set a competitive target.
It proved to be enough as Lordswood were dismissed for 181. They also struggled against the new ball and were 21 for 4 before Tom Davis gave them hope when scoring 72. He was unable to find someone to stay with him and was last man out with his team still 35 runs shy of their target. Jason Benn had the best bowling figures, taking 3 for 33 from his ten overs.
Bromley still await their first victory of the season. They asked visitors Beckenham to bat first and would have been delighted to bowl them out for 166. Johan Malcolm score 47 and James Fear 35 but nobody else really got going. Marcus Lilley took 3 for 33 for the hosts.
However, Malcolm followed top scoring by taking 3 for 19 off his 10 miserly overs and Jahid Ahmed returned 3 for 31 as Bromley were hustled out for 151. Having been reduced to 55 for 6, later order batsmen Nicholas Bluett scored 40, Lilley hit 30 and Martel Evans, 20 but they still fell 15 runs short.