Having suffered just their second league defeat of the season seven days earlier, leaders Minster bounced back in week twelve of the Kent Cricket League Premier Division.

Again on the road when they visited Sandwich Town, they elected to bat first and Dan Stickels crashed a quick 32 while David Masters made a more sedate 48. They continued to accumulate until James Speer joined Kai Appleby. The former crashed 42 off 24 balls before Appleby was last out for 100 off 75 deliveries. The innings closed on 295 with Alex Smith claiming 3 for 56.

Speer then took the first 3 wickets quickly on his way to 4 for 46. Ryan Davies gave the hosts hope with an excellent 133 but they ended up falling short by 24 runs.

Form team Hayes, in second place, entertained Blackheath and the hopes that they would have had from the results one week earlier evaporated when they were well beaten. The visitors opted to bat first and Charlie-Sid Speller got them off to a good start with 48. Riley Ayre and Matthew Golding scored 71 each and they closed on 227 for 7. Alfie Peck’s 3 for 49 meant that he was the first bowler to go over the 30 league wicket mark this season.

Kent bowler Arafat Bhuiyan then got to work and followed up on his five wicket haul one week earlier with 4 for 20 to remove the top order. Rory Low scored 37 but it was to no avail as he was dismissed by Jahid Ahmed who finished with 3 for 13 as Hayes were bowled out for 102. 

Third played fourth when St Lawrence & Highland Court travelled to Lordswood and the visitors enjoyed a comfortable win having been asked to field first. Jamie Hemphrey took 3 for 21 and Joe Payne 3 for 39 as the hosts were bowled out for just 89.

It took just 13.4 overs to surpass the target by seven wickets. Will Hilton finished on 31 not out and Darren Stevens 30 not out.

In the lower half of the table, Bexley were the guests of Canterbury. Having won the toss and chosen to bat, Bexley captain Matt Stiddard again top scored for his team with 76, supported by 30 from Ben Aldred, as they finished on 241. Anthony Mosca was the most successful bowler with 4 for 35.

Spinners opened at both ends to stifle the hosts in the power-play and wickets fell regularly. Jarred Lysaught scored 40 and Duncan Moore 36 but neither went on. Freddie Foster claimed 4 for 35 as they were bowled out for 194.

Finally, bottom club Bickley Park hosted Tunbridge Wells who started the day just two places higher in the table and it was the visitors who prevailed despite being invited to field first. Cam Hawkins scored 67 and Safwaan Imitiaz 33 as the hosts worked their way to 113 for 1. However, the loss of the next nine wickets for just sixty runs meant that the good start counted for nothing. Govind Nair started the collapse with 4 for 30 before Matt Barker returned to clean up the lower order with 3 for 47.

Sahil Shah got the visitors off to a good start with 47 before Ollie Morgan finished it off with 49 not out for a four wicket victory with twelve overs and two balls to spare.

Images courtesy of Keith Gillard