After week seven, Lordswood became the new Kent Cricket League Premier Division leaders.
They were asked to bat when they visited Sevenoaks Vine and started quickly with Linden Lockhart in explosive form scoring a quick-fire 38.
Joe Gordon struck 54 at faster than a run a ball, then Callum McLeod (73) took control assisted by Jack Laraman’s 34 as the Lords finished on an imposing 278 for 7 from 45 overs. Andrew Reid-Dick returned the best bowling figures, 3 for 50.
Kent’s Ben Compton scored 67 and Michael Cowdrey 38, but although Joe Banks scored 33 not out, the hosts fell well short of the revised score of 289, finishing on 217 for 7. Laraman followed up on his batting feats with 3 for 33.
Previous league leaders, Tunbridge Wells, suffered defeat for the first time this season when they hosted Minster. They were invited to bat first and were indebted to Calvin Johnson, 62, and Sam Smith (32) to get them to 214 for 8. Minster used seven bowlers as the wickets were shared.
When the visitors replied, two former first class cricketers ensured that they made light work of the chase as they cruised home by seven wickets with more than eleven overs remaining.
James Hockley, who had two spells at Kent, eased his way to 84 not out, and one time Essex player, Aron Nijjar, scored 56.
Rectory Fields hosted the first game of a Weekend double-header between Blackheath and Bexley ahead of the ECB National Club Championship tie on Sunday. Bexley elected to bat first in the league game but struggled and were bowled out for 145 with eight overs unused.
Only Shaun Evans, with 41, looked comfortable. However when he was third out to Matt Golding, with 88 on the board, wickets tumbled. Golding was the most successful bowler with 3 for 19.
Despite the best efforts of Ahmed Jamal (3 for 44), the hosts cruised to victory by five wickets in just over half of their allotted overs. After George Wells had put them well on their way, scoring 35.
Golding finished a fine all round performance with 38 not out.
Having been inserted by St Lawrence & Highfield Court, Sandwich Town’s Zac Fagg led an early innings assault on the bowling attack before being dismissed for 64 with 80 on the board. Rory Smith scored 37 and Ben Chapman 35, before Tom Burnap smashed 68 not out and James Bazley 55 not out as their truncated innings finished on 276 for 4 from 39 overs.
Despite a remarkable 61 not out by Oliver Curtiss from 34 deliveries, and 32 by Michael Hayes, the revised target of 284 was well beyond the visitors and they were dismissed for 165. Bazley claimed 4 for 19
Last season’s champions, Hayes, hosted Holmesdale in the remaining fixture and followed up on their first win of the season seven days earlier with a comfortable victory.
Having chosen to field first they hustled their visitors out for 98. Will MacVicar led the way, claiming 5 for 35 with none of the batting side reaching 25.
In reply, it took Hayes just 17.5 overs to knock off the 99 runs needed to win, for the loss of two wickets. Gareth Severin whacked 43 not out from 36 deliveries.
Pictures supplied by Keith Gillard.