Although the top three teams in the Kent League Premier Division all won, Lordswood remain top with two games left to play.
They hosted second placed Sevenoaks Vine, a team requiring points to pull away from the bottom two. Having won the toss, they chose to bat and finished on 238 for 9. Jack Laraman scored 44, Ed Taylor 43, Owen Palmer 35 and Joe Gordon 34. Their total might have been greater had it not been for Sam Jones taking 3 for 34 and Andrew Reid-Dick 3 for 43.
However, it proved to be enough despite Chris Vernon’s 50 at the top of the order. Captain Callum McLeod led the way with 3 for 37. Luke Schlemmer scored 44 but when he was out there was too much for the Vine to do and they finished on 193 for 9.
Deposed leaders Bexley were also at home with struggling Blackheath the visitors. The hosts elected to bat first and Calum Basey got them off to a good start when scoring 49. George Haley scored 73, Harry Turner a run a ball 42, and Shaun Evans 32, despite Tanweer Sikandar returning 4 for 48. The innings closed on 250 for 7.
Matthew Golding top scored for the visitors with 55, supported by Ross Richardson (36) and Jahid Ahmed (33). However, once they were out, Ahmed Jamal mopped up the tail finishing with 5 for 37 as Blackheath were dismissed for 195.
Third placed Tunbridge Wells knew that even if they won their last three games, they would need the two teams above them to lose at least once, although they still have Lordswood to play. They travelled to Minster and after putting the hosts in they may have wondered if they had made the right decision when opener Ed Moore scored 64. Kai Appleby then missed out on a deserved century when dismissed for 96 off 74 deliveries as the hosts finished on 231 for 8. Chris Williams took 4 for 33.
He wasn’t finished there as he hit a quick-fire 42 before brother Alex added 55. Sam Smith then took command with 66 not out leading his team to a four wicket victory with five overs to spare despite Moore’s 3 for 35.
Promoted St Lawrence & Highland Court, starting the day in fourth place, entertained Sandwich Town, another club needing points at the wrong end of the table, and it was the visitors who won the game having been inserted to bat. They were in trouble at 80 for 7 before Jan Gray’s 57 not out and Shahmeer Malik’s 40 enabled them to post a competitive 195 for 9. The best bowling figures were returned by Jamie Hemphrey with 3 for 32.
Harry Bee took out the hosts’ top order with 5 for 25 as they found themselves on 42 for 6. Matt Hammond scored 60 to give the score some respectability but they were still bowled out for 168 to snuff out any outside chances of winning the title.
Finally, bottom club Holmesdale welcomed Hayes and claimed the win that took them off the bottom at the expense of Blackheath. The visitors were asked to bat first and were dismissed for 169. Liam Buttery top scored with 37 while William Harby took 3 for 57.
Harby then followed up with 79 and Carlos Maynard scored 60 not out as they romped home by six wickets with twenty-four overs to spare.
Two games remain and Lordswood lead the table by two points from Bexley. Tunbridge Wells are a further six points adrift and still have an outside chance. At the other end it’s likely that two of Blackheath, Holmesdale and Sevenoaks Vine will be relegated.
Images courtesy of Allen Hollands