As the season reaches the halfway mark, it’s still the two teams promoted into the Kent League Premier Division for the start of this season again who are slugging it out at the top of the table.

The top four all had away games. League leaders Hayes visited Sandwich Town and stumbled to just their second defeat of the season. They were asked to bat first and soon found themselves in trouble as Alex Smith dismissed their top three batsmen with just fifteen on the board.

Kent’s Alex Blake scored 65, supported by Tomas Gallagher with 58 as they recovered to finish on 220 for 9. Smith claimed 4 for 29 from his ten overs.

In reply, Tom Chapman blasted 73 after Zack Fagg was out for 55 of the first 71 runs scored. Tom Burnap anchored the innings with 59 not out as the hosts claimed a comfortable seven wicket victory with over eleven overs to spare.

Second placed Minster were also on the road and they chose to bat first at Beckenham. Joseph Parry was again in fine form with 77, and he received support from Kai Appleby (33) as they finished on 206 for 8. Junaid Nadir returned figures of 3 for 28.

Ross Piller (50), captain Alexander Senn (44) and James Fear (41) kept the hosts in the hunt but once Parry had removed the former, he ran through the lower order finishing with 5 for 32 as Minster won by ten runs.

Third placed Tunbridge Wells visited reigning champions Bexley who elected to bat first. Aiden Griggs scored 86 supported by captain Matt Stiddard (30) as the hosts finished on 206 for 6. Ryan O’Beirne continued his excellent summer, taking 3 for 27.

Former Bromley wicketkeeper/batsman, Sam Smith, had the visitors in decent shape scoring 64.

However, after he was out, only Michael Waller with 36 troubled the Bexley bowlers. Freddie Foster claimed 3 for 50 as Tunbridge Wells slumped from 148 for 4 to 162 all out.

Bickley Park, in fourth place, travelled to Sevenoaks Vine, and the hosts batted first after winning the toss. Elliott Hooper continued his good form with a second consecutive 59, Michael Ridley scored 49 not out, Safwaan Imitiaz 47, and Will Holcombe 34. Despite Luke Schlemmer taking 5 for 35, Bickley finished on 230 all out.

That proved to be well light as Sevenoaks lost just one wicket and had over nine overs to spare as they eased home. Kent opening batsman Ben Compton scored 124 not out and Schlemmer followed up his bowling exploits with 83 not out.

Fifth placed Blackheath were invited to field first when they entertained Lordswood but claimed the first two wickets before a run was on the board.

Barney Goldsack steadied the visitors’ nerves with 32 before Jack Laraman struck 59 to see them through to 203 for 7.

Despite the recovery, it proved to be in vain as Tanweer Sikandar scored 106 after Daniel Bell-Drummond had opened with 35. Hugh Scott’s 4 for 34 kept the visitors in the game but the hosts eased home with two wickets in hand.

Hayes still head the league, but only by one point with Minster gnashing at their heels. Beckenham return to the foot of the table with Sevenoaks Vine occupying the other relegation spot despite their big win.

Picture supplied by Keith Gillard.