Catch up with all the latest from the Shepherd Neame Kent Cricket League from the weekend.
SHEPHERD NEAME KENT CRICKET LEAGUE PREMIER LEAGUE
WEEK 15 – 12 August 2017
Beckenham 186-9 lost to Sandwich Town 200-6 by 14 runs
Bexley 155-10 lost to Sevenoaks Vine 160-9 by one wicket
Blackheath 173-10 beat Tunbridge Wells 166-10 by 7 runs
Hartley 240-10 lost to Lordswood 244-8 by 2 wickets
Tenterden 246-9 beat Holmesdale 175-10 by 71 runs
Sandwich move to just four points behind Beckenham and seven off leaders Bexley after beating Beckenham by 14 runs, with Bexley also losing a tight match to Sevenoaks Vine by one wicket. At the other end of the table a loss for Holmesdale at Tenterden see a return to Division 1 for them in 2018, whilst the win for ninth placed Sevenoaks Vine, and a defeat for Tunbridge Wels, moves the Vine to withing12 points of the Wells and 18 from Hartley, so very much keeps their survival hopes alive.
The Vine elected to field first at Manor Way and Aryan Jain part with 69 their batting somewhat floundered. Lorne Burns took 4-29 and Tom Parsons and John Bowden two apiece as the home side were bowled out for just 155. The Sevenoaks side looked well in command at 85-2 when Kent keeper Adam Rouse was dismissed for 44 and the match began to turn, as the Vine collapsed to 146-9 and overs running out. Olly Howick was still at the crease. Two were needed off the last ball which Howick hoisted for six to clinch a thrilling win for the Vine.
Sandwich were perhaps on the back foot at 139-6 when Alex Smith departed for 49 but a fine unbroken partnership of 61 between Daniel Evans 42 and Ashleigh Cox 39 steered them to a final total of 200-6 at the close. This was to prove crucial on a wicket not easy for fast scoring. Chris Isles 51 and Alex Senn 51 both looked to buck the trend as they built a partnership of 99 but were both out in quick succession and Sandwich leapt at the opportunity to take control. The middle order made starts but none could go on and the lower middle order lost their way and the run rate climbed. Grant Stewart took 3-28 and Matthew van Poppel 3-41 and Beckenham ended 14 runs short.
David Smith and Alex Williams took 3 apiece as Tunbridge Wells reduced Blackheath to 173-10 at the Rectory Field. Tanweer Sikander top scored with 31. Despite 53 by Alex Williams, Tunbridge Wells also found batting conditions problematic and with Jahid Ahmed taking 4-32 they found themselves bowled out for 166, agonisingly seven runs short with five overs in hand. This will ensure a tussle between themselves, Sevenoaks Vine and Hartley for the second relegation spot over the next three weeks.
Hartley find themselves in this position after losing at home to Lordswood. James Hockley and Richard Selvey-Clinton both scored 57 and Dan Stickels 49 but Hugh Bernard took 5-51 and Amjad Khan 3-21 as Hartley were bowled out for 240 with almost five overs unused. ZahmeerKhan and Shaun Piesley both made 41 and Julius Cowdrey 35 but it was his brother Fabian that saw Lordswood home with an unbeaten 74 with just two balls to spare.
Holmesdale fate was finally mathematically confirmed as they travelled to Tenterden. The home side elected to bat and Chis Vernon scored 85 and Adam Ball 63 were the mainstays of the Tenterden innings of 246-9. Luke Blackaby returned figures of 4-38. Ranjit Singh proved the undoing of Holmesdale with 5-35 and despite a spirited innings of 56 by Anthony Bissett, the visitors fell 71 runs short of the chase.