Catch up with all the latest from the Shepherd Neame Kent Cricket League from the weekend.
SHEPHERD NEAME KENT CRICKET LEAGUE PREMIER LEAGUE
WEEK 5 – 3 June 2017
Beckenham 189-10 beat Sevenoaks Vine 165-10 by 24 runs
Bexley 210-5 beat Holmesdale 159-10 by 51 runs
Blackheath 238 -10 beat Lordswood 198-10 by 40 runs
Hartley 275-9 lost to Sandwich Town 309-8 by 34 runs
Tenterden 169-2 beat Tunbridge Wells 167-10 by 8 wickets
Sandwich Town continued with their impressive unbeaten start to 2017 and top the table after a fine 34 run victory at Hartley Country Club. Sandwich elected to bat and made an average start reaching 68-4, with Zak Fagg, 45, the main contributor. At this point Alex Smith began to craft a fine 122 from 109 balls. He we joined mid innings by Rory Smith who smashed 84 not out from just 43 balls to steer Sandwich to an impressive total of 309-8 at the close. Such a total is never easy to chase especially if you lose openers Hockley and Stickels cheaply as was to prove the case. James Thompson joined Dominic Hendricks as they began to build impetus to the chase. They put on 161 together before Thompson was bowled by skipper Matthew van Poppel for a well-made 90. Hendricks fell just short of his century for a very useful 95 but the run rate had climbed. Van Poppel ended with 3-54 as the Hartley lower order fell in pursuit of quick runs.
Sam Weller took 3-23 as Tenterden put Tunbridge Wells to the sword at Morghew Park. Nicholas Sale, 57, was the only noteworthy contribution as Tunbridge Wells were bowled out for just 157 in 44.4 overs. A fine effort in the field from Tenterden. A solid unbeaten 96 by Christopher Vernon ensured the home side romped home with only two down in the 38th over.
Lordswood, seeking their first win of the season had a decent start against Blackheath, as they visited the Rectory Field. A three-wicket burst by Hugh Bernard help reduce Blackheath to 30-5 and floundering. A quite magnificent recovery took place as Dipyan Paul 62 and Chris Willetts 71 added a partnership of 150. Warren Lee 21 and Mehdi Abbas 26 added icing to the cake with their runs coming from just 33 balls. 238 looked a long way off couple of hours earlier. Lordswood’s start was a little tentative and at 64-4 had a lot to do. Amjad Khan 65 and Shaun Piesley 52 took them to 168-4 and needing just 70, when Piesley fell to Jahid Ahmed who with Warren Lee cleaned out the lower order leaving Lordswood 40 runs short, Lee ended with figures of 4-24 and Ahmed 3-49. A game which ebbed and flowed all afternoon.
Another such match was at Foxgrove Road where Beckenham entertained Sevenoaks Vine. Beckenham chose to bat first on a wicket which had some damp patches after a little water from the heavy thunderstorm on Friday had leaked under the covers. The home side found batting difficult against a Vine attack who used the conditions well. Beckenham were in some difficulty at 102-6 with Alex Blake back in the hutch for a useful 34. Jason Bilimoria dug deep and batted sensibly and found a useful partner in Jonathan Darke. The two added an invaluable partnership of 74 before Darke was trapped for 27 and Bilimoria tragically run out for 48 on the same score after a misunderstanding with his new partner. 190 looked a reachable target with good application. Tabish Khan posed some early problems for the Vine batsmen. At 98-5 the game was perhaps slightly tilted in the home sides favour but then Miles Richardson began to bat with assurance and the Vine total started to grow. While Richardson remined the Vine now looked favourites. He was bowled by the returning Tabish Khan with a fine quick delivery with the score on 155 leaving the lower order too much to do. Khan ended with 4-40 and Beckenham a win by 24 runs.
In the final game at Bexley, Christopher Laas carried his bat for 97 and Matthew Stiddard made 40 as Bexley were made to work hard for their runs by Holmesdale. 210-5 from 50 suggests the wicket was not easy. Holmesdale had a disastrous start at 13-4 and were never quite able to fully recover. Harry Galpin scored 38, Edward Bonner 37 and Ryan Jones 32 in the middle order but none could go further, so with Jason Benn taking 3-26 and Harry Furze 3-28 Bexley emerged comfortable winners by 51 runs.
Beckenham face an exciting challenge as they travel to Sandwich next week. Lordswood entertain Hartley. Tenterden and Bexley both visit Sevenoaks to face Holmesdale and Sevenoaks Vine respectively. A trip to Tunbridge Wells faces Blackheath.