Ben Aldred and Ahmed Jamal were the stars of the day when Bexley beat Minster in the Kent Cricket League Premier Division.

Last season, Minster were runners up to Hayes, with Bexley third, although they did win the National Club Championship. Therefore, the high quality of cricket on offer came as no surprise.

Ed Moore won the toss for Minster and elected to bat. James Thompson led the way and the visitors had fifty on the board in just six overs. However, Thompson departed for 43, with the score on 64, when he edged Jas Singh behind and Ben Aldred took the catch.

Moore was in and out quickly before former Kent and Bexley all-rounder, James Hockley was joined by Surrey T20 specialist Laurie Evans. They put on 42, before Hockley departed for 41.

When Evans departed, he could barely believe what he had done. He pulled Shaun Evans’ first delivery, a half tracker, straight into the hands of Harry Turner on the midwicket boundary. Joe Parry continued the trend of getting in but not going on when becoming Jamal’s second victim having scored 39.

Jamal, in his first season with Bexley, then took care of the lower order, finishing with 5 for 37 as Minster were penned back to end on 234 for 9 from their fifty overs.

In response, Bexley’s innings started in extraordinary fashion. Bill Prideaux removed Aiden Griggs’ off stump with a first ball Jaffa before Hugo Burdon launched his second delivery for a big six.

A four and another six followed before the over finished. Eleven came off Max Luckett’s first over and Bexley continued to plunder the bowling until Burdon drove Luckett straight into the hands of Thompson at cover to depart for 35 from 15 balls.

At 86 for 4, and with Parry proving to be difficult to get away as usual, the game was in the balance and when captain Matt Stiddard became Prideaux’s third victim at 113 for 5, Minster would have fancied their chances.

However, Aldred found a willing partner in Turner and their partnership of 116 took the game away from the visitors.

Aldred eventually fell to Parry with six runs needed and Jamal completed the job with a boundary with four wickets and nine and a half overs to spare.

Turner finished on 27 not out, Prideaux took 3 for 52 while Parry was the only bowler in the match to go four under three an over when his ten overs yielded just twenty-eight runs with his two wickets.

Bexley’s next league game is at Holmesdale while Minster will look to get back on track when they host St. Lawrence and Highland Court.

Pictures supplied by Steve Griggs.