Last season’s Kent League Premier Division Champions, Lordswood, continued their defence with victory at newly promoted Bickley Park.
They invited the hosts to bat first and Bickley responded by amassing 202 for 9. Bickley put on 54 for the first wicket before Ranjit Singh was out for 33. Opening partner, Elliot Hooper, went on to score 83 until dismissed by Thando Ntini. The quickie then went on to wipe out the middle order, finishing with 4 for 38.
That total proved to be insufficient as Lordswood surpassed the target with over three overs and three wickets to spare. Despite Hooper’s 3 for 32, Max Wood, Owen Palmer, Joe Gordon and Ed Taylor all got themselves into the thirties, the latter not out, as a team batting performance saw them to victory.
2023 Runners-Up Bexley travelled to Minster, both of whom had started the campaign with a win. The visitors put Minster in to bat and, after a tricky start, the hosts accumulated 242 for 9. Dave Masters top scored with 60, Kai Appleby cracked a quick fire 53, and James Thompson notched 31. Jack Sinfield claimed 3 for 33.
Captain Matt Stiddard scored 46 and Sinfield 37 from 24 balls but both fell to Aron Nijjar who finished with 4 for 57 as Bexley were bowled out for 197.
There was a local derby when Canterbury hosted St. Lawrence and Highland Court, also both coming in off the back of victories. The home team chose to bat and scored 203 with Lewis White scoring 51, Anthony Mosca, 37 and Syan Bulathsinhala 34. Darren Stevens returned 3 for 33.
Jason Sangha scored an excellent 97 in the response but Jarred Lysaught (4 for 31) and Bulathsinhala (4 for 48) kept the newly promoted side in contention. Captain Matt Hammond kept his head with 36 not out to steer his team home by two wickets.
Hayes bounced back from defeat in their season opener with a relatively comfortable victory at home to Tunbridge Wells. The visitors lost the toss and were bowled out for 177. Viraj Bhatia scored 59 from 40 deliveries but nobody else reached 30. Alfie Peck returned 4 for 35.
Gareth Severin (40), Will MacVicar (32) and Mekhail Marshall (30) kept the scoreboard ticking over as Hayes reached their target with four wickets and nearly five overs to spare.
Two other teams who started with a defeat met when Sandwich Town entertained Blackheath. The visitors looked as if they might regret their decision to bat first when Alex Smith (4 for 26) reduced them to 10 for 3, then 57 for four. However, Matthew Golding with 55, and Siraj Sajid’s 41 helped them to amass 198 for 8.
Golding then followed up with 3 for 39 as the hosts tumbled to 86 for 7. Although Alex Smith scored 47, and Jake Smith 36 not out, were in the runs, the damage had been done and they finished on 179 for 8.
Picture supplied by Keith Gillard.