There were victories for Beckenham, Bexley, Bickley Park, Lordswood and Tunbridge Wells in week 15 of the Kent Cricket League Premier Division.

Whilst all the victors will have celebrated, the happiest club was probably Bexley who defeated Sandwich Town meaning that even if Sandwich win their outstanding games they cannot catch the club from Manor Way should they not make a mistake.

Bexley were invited to bat first and Calum Basey’s 49 along with 44 from Shaun Evans set the base. They struck 45 from their last five overs with Adam Riley’s 23 not out from 13 balls getting them over the 200 mark to finish on a competitive 208 for 7. Ben Smith took 3 for 50 off his eight overs.

An aggressive 32 from Zach Fagg and Robert Goatham’s 31 put Sandwich in contention but once Bexley took pace off the ball, the runs dried up and they were bowled out for 139. Evans and Riley followed up their batting exploits with 3 for 12 and 3 for 18 respectively.

Tunbridge Wells cemented their second place with a massive 135 run win over Blackheath. Alexander Williams scored a brilliant 152 from 118 balls supported by 132 from opener Viraj Bhatia as the hosts amassed 325 for 5. Arafat Bhuiyan took 3 for 83.

The visitors lost both of their openers with just five runs on the board and were never in contention. Tanweer Sikandar top scored with 33, Mahi Mahfuzul ended on 32 not out and Mehedi Abbas scored 30 in Blackheath’s 190 all out. Mark McLean took 3 for 6 and Joe McCaffrey 3 for 30. 

Beckenham had an exciting victory over Sevenoaks Vine, winning with just four balls to spare. The visitors won the toss and elected to bat but were bowled out for 184 with six overs unused. Miles Richardson scored 42 after Harry Houllion had anchored the innings with 33. Nobody else reached 30 while Jahid Ahmed took 3 for 25.

Ahmed followed up with a match winning 47 not out, following James Fear’s 43, as Beckenham finished on 185 for 6. 

Lordswood climbed out of the bottom two when defeating Bromley. The hosts won the toss and elected to bat. Edward Taylor scored a quick 52 before Taylor Chandler (68 not out) and Hugh Scott  (34) piled on the misery for Bromley. Anish Patel took 3 for 64 as Lordswood finished on 282 for 9.

Sam Smith scored a magnificent 99 which accounted for just over half of Bromley’s total of 197 all out. Scott dismissed him as one of his 3 for 51.

As a result, Holmesdale’s defeat at home to Bickley Park leaves them in the relegation zone. Although the visitors did not use all their overs in being bowled out for 213. it was enough. Daniel Magin with 63 was the mainstay of the innings before becoming one of Curtis Maynard’s three stumping victims, all off different bowlers. Elliot Hooper scored 33 and four other batsmen scored 20 plus. Anthony Bissett took 4 for 48 while Mike Bryant was the most miserly bowler with 3 for 28 from his ten overs.

Bissett top scored with 30 as Holmesdale were hustled out for 158 with over 12 overs unused. Hooper took 3 for 21 from 9 overs, and Max Luckett 3 for 40.

Picture supplied by Keith Gillard.