There were big wins for Blackheath, Canterbury and Sevenoaks Vine in the Shepherd Neame Kent Cricket League this weekend.
SHEPHERD NEAME KENT CRICKET LEAGUE
PREMIER LEAGUE
WEEK 13 – 2 August 2014
Beckenham 218-6 lost to Lordswood 219-7 by 3 wickets
Bexley 245-10 lost to Hartley 246-10 by one run
Blackheath 236-10 beat Bickley Park 194-6 by 42 runs
Canterbury 237-7 beat Bromley 125-10 by 112 runs
Sevenoaks Vine 242-8 beat Sandwich Town 239-9 by 2 wickets
There is a sense of deja vous this week as again the top four clubs all won again so there are no changes at the top, with Sevenoaks Vine still heading the field by 5 points.
A win for Canterbury lifts them out of the bottom two and now with only eleven points separating sixth to ninth place, a close scrap looks likely to develop for the second relegation place, with Bickley now 46 points from safety with an uphill task to avoid the drop.
There was a thrilling encounter at Manor Way where Bexley played hosts to Hartley. Harley elected to bat and with Dan Stickels leading the way with 74 and Shane Deitz scoring 48, 31 and 30 from Messrs David and James Thompson respectively, they were bowled out a relatively modest total of 246.
Adam Ball and Adam Riley made a rare appearance for Bexley and shared six wicket equally between them. Bexley’s chase began steadily with George Wells building a useful innings at one end.
At 150-3 with Wells on 92 Bexley looked in a good positon when Wells was bowled by James Thompson. Adam Ball made 42 but wickets fell regularly with Bexley now on 232-9, James Thompson with figures of 4-27.
They edged closer and to within two runs of their target when Stanley Wells was run out by James Hockley off the penultimate ball of the game. A narrow one run victory for Hartley keeping them still in contention for the title.
Meanwhile Sevenoaks Vine were made to work hard for their eighteen points at they entertained Sandwich. Marnus Labuschagne led the way again for Sandwich with a useful 81 and was supported well by 59 by Robert Goatham and 33 from Geraint Jones but their middle to lowered order failed to capitalise on a strong start and Sandwich had to settle for 239-9 at the close.
In reply a fourth wicket partnership of 162 between Ollie Howick 95 and Fabian Cowdrey 73 steered the Vine 177-3 and looking comfortable when Howick fell, one of Matthew Hunn’s five victims (5-46). Cowdrey departed to leave score standing on 220-7, shortly to become 228-8. Miles Richardson and Tom Coldman steered them home without further loss.
Blackheath compounded Bickley Park’s problems by beating them by 42 runs at the Rectory Field. Tanweer Sikander 53 and Dipayan Paul 52, were the two main contributors to the Blackheath total of 236 all out, Nayan Doshi taking 4-20.
Bickley found the Blackheath attack difficult to get away and ended on a rather unusual score in win/lose cricket of 194-6, Dan Magin top scoring with 43.
Beckenham’s batting once more disappointed as the fell to defeat against Lordswood at Foxgrove Road. Both Alex Senn and Will McVicar scored 52 but neither was able to go on and Beckenham rather laboured to a total of 218-6 against a steady Lordswood attack.
This score looked a little more hopeful as Lordswood slid to 55-4 when Lyndon Lockhart joined Chris Piesley. Both batted very sensibly without a run rate pressure upon them but picking up singles regularly. Piesley batted through for a very well made unbeaten 71 to see Lordswood safely home with seven down.
In the final match of this round Canterbury defeated Bromley by 112 runs. James Lilley was the mainstay of the Canterbury innings of 237-7 with 94. In reply, the Bromley batting somewhat fell apart and at 30-5 were in disarray.
James Butterfill top scored for Bromley with 36 to add a little respectability, but they will have been disappointed to be bowled out for 125, Stuart Drakeley taking 3-19 and Stuart Phazey 3-25.
A much needed victory for Canterbury who seem likely to be amongst the four or five Clubs fighting for Premier survival for the last 5 weeks.