Wins for Sandwich Town and Tunbridge Wells ensured that they still remained unbeaten at the peak of the Kent League Premier Division.

Zack Fagg scored 93 and Robert Goatham was on 53 when retiring hurt as Sandwich amassed 265 for seven in their fifty overs against Holmesdale who used eight bowlers. The visitors pushed them all the way and an enterprising 90 from Carlos Maynard supported by Anthony Bissett’s 59 gave them hope. However the target was just too much and they were bowled out for 244 with Rory Smith taking 4 for 25.

Due to a delayed start at Beckenham, Tunbridge Wells’ game there was reduced to a 40 overs encounter. Wells accumulated 196 for 9 with Chris Williams scoring 64 and Alex Williams smashing 42 off just 30 balls. Mudit Dayal took the bowling honours with 3 for 30 off his eight overs.

The hosts never really got going against tight bowling, though, and they were held to 152 for 8 in their 40 overs with Johan Malcolm top scoring with 32. Bailey Wightman conceded just 19 runs in his eight overs after claiming the first wicket early on.

At Manor Way, Bexley, Kent II’s bowler Tom Davis took a hat-trick for Lordswood as the hosts last four wickets for no runs with just 33 runs on the board. Matthew Stiddard survived a massive appeal before adding to the total but survived to lead the recovery with 82, well supported by Ben Aldred who struck five sixes in his 61 off 50 balls as Bexley finished on 246 for 7. Davis ended with 4 for 41.

Lordswood also struggled against the new ball and were on 6 for 1 after 8 overs and 59 for 6 at the midway point. Former Bexley player Callum McLeod battled through to score 73 as the visitors claimed a batting point for their 152 all out. Despite being hit on the helmet by a beamer earlier in the afternoon, Freddie Foster ended with 3 for 33. Bexley remain in third place but Lordswood dropped down a spot to fifth.

Michael Cowdrey, 68 not out, Luke Schlemmer with 64 and a half century from Chris Vernon helped Sevenoaks Vine amass 273 for 6 in their victory over bottom club Bromley to take them up to fourth place with Anish Patel the pick of the Bromley bowlers taking 2 for 31 from his ten overs. 

Bromley slumped to 46 for 5 in their reply but Nicholas Bluett’s 73 put up some resistance as they finished on 198 for 9. Andrew Reid-Dick took 3 for 45 while John Bowden bowled ten tight overs, ending with 1 for 18.

A second consecutive victory took Bickley Park out of the bottom two with defeated visitors Blackheath replacing them in ninth place. The away team won the toss and batted first, scoring 218 for 6. Elliot Hooper took regular wickets finishing with 4 for 54 to stop them from getting away despite Jack Hersh scoring 71 and Tanweer Sikander, 58.

In reply, Bickley Park were not phased and chased down the total with six wickets in hand and with six overs and two balls to spare. Safwaan Imitiaz scored a Bickley career best 92 not out and Hooper backed up his bowling feats by scoring 35.  

One point separates the top two clubs (who meet next Saturday) whilst there are only three points between the clubs placed sixth to ninth so there are sure to be a lot of twists and turns ahead.

Pictures supplied by Keith Gillard.