The curtain came down on the 2016 Shepherd Neame Kent Cricket League at the weekend.
SHEPHERD NEAME KENT CRICKET LEAGUE
PREMIER LEAGUE
WEEK 18 – 3 September 2016
Beckenham 59-4 v Bexley 226-7 match incomplete
Bromley 173-2 v Tenterden 258-8 match incomplete
Dartford 102-7 v Hartley 305-9 match incomplete
Lordswood 258-10 beat Sevenoaks Vine 150-10 by 108 runs
Tunbridge Wells 179-4 beat Blackheath 177-10 by 6 wickets
Another season comes to an end, and sadly a wet one. Hartley were already crowned Champions before play began and Blackheath runners up so the much of the focus turned to the foot of the table battles where three clubs could be relegated. Wins for both Tunbridge Wells and Lordswood ensured their safety and left Bromley the side to go down to Division 1, their first relegation since the beginning of the Premier League in 1999.
Lordswood had a resounding 108 run victory over visitors Sevenoaks Vine. Lordswood were invited to bat first and James Anyon top scored for them with 45, Amjad Khan made 38 and Shaun Piesley 36 and with others chipping in, Lordswood were bowled out in the 50th over for 258. In reply, the Vine set off well and reached 94-1 with Anthony Shales making 46 but then wickets began falling regularly, Amjad Khan doing much of the damage with 4-14 as the Vine slid to 150 all out from just 36.1 overs.
Blackheath had a disappointing day with the bat as they travelled to the Nevill, Tunbridge Wells. Invited to bat only Richard Fleming with 80 and Dipyan Paul 36 made significant contributions for Blackheath as they were bowled out for 177 with Fred Florry taking 4-33. Chris Williams, 82 and Michael Waller 62 not out put on 114 for the first wicket and made a big inroad to the target required. Despite 4-48 by Rishi Roy-Mukherjee Tunbridge Wells romped home in the 29th over with six wickets in hand.
The other three games were all affected by the weather and were all incomplete games. Champions Hartley posted 305-9 at Hesketh Park, Dartford, Dan Stickels finishing the season strongly with 124 and Richard Selvey-Clinton 64. James Thompson helped reduce Dartford to 102-7 with 5-14 when the rain came with still 29 overs remaining.
A final day century, 102, for Tenterden’s Chris Vernon plus 50 from Tyler Griffin helped their side to a decent total of 258-8 at Plaistow Lane, Bromley. The home side were making a spirited reply reaching 173-2, Shavawn Cunningham 59 and Imran Qayyum 42 both unbeaten when the rain arrived but fate had already determined Bromley’s demise.
The final game at Foxgrove Road, Beckenham saw Bexley post 226-7 for the home side to chase with Aryan Jain making 42, Matthew Stiddard 31 and Adam Riley 30. Beckenham had reached 59-4 when the heavens opened.
The Premier League will be joined next year by Division 1 Champions Holmesdale and runners up, Sandwich Town after an exciting last Saturday, with all top three clubs winning their games. It is a return for Sandwich Town but it will be Holmesdale first visit to the Premier Division since their double relegation from the old Kent League in its final year of 1998.