Week one of the Kent League Premier Division cricket season started with four home and one away victories.
Last season’s Premier Champions, Tunbridge Wells, started their defence at last term’s Championship Division winners Sevenoaks Vine with a high scoring win. Having been invited to bat first, they racked up 330 for 8 in their fifty overs. Chris Williams struck 115 off just 77 balls, supported by 36 by brother Alex and 32 by Drew Beazleigh. In amongst the mayhem. Henry Bevan-Thomas returned 3 for 60.
Despite the scoreboard pressure, the hosts came agonisingly close. Nick Compton scored 147 and Chris Vernon 42 but wickets fell at the right time for the visitors with Damu Ferns taking 3 for 42. A great chase ended with the Vine ten short on 320 for 8.
Runners-up Hayes entertained Lordswood and won convincingly. The visitors elected to bat first and scored 238 for 8. Edward Taylor scored 67, Joe Gordon 61, Hugh Scott 39, and Daniel Marshall 36.
Will MacVicar scored 95, William Harby 68 and Aaron Burnage 38 not out in the reply as the hosts raced to a seven wickets victory with over ten overs unused.
Having finished in third place last season, Bexley commenced their campaign with a home game against St. Lawrence and Highland Court who won the toss and elected to field. Varun Anand scored 54 but nobody else reached thirty as they finished on 188. Josh Julian claimed 3 for 20 and Iain Carlisle 3 for 39 while John Grewar bowled a miserly spell of 2 for 20 off ten overs.
At 90 for 2, the visitors appeared to be cruising but wickets fell regularly and when opener Fred Sharp was sixth out for 32, four wickets had fallen for two runs. Jamie Batten took 3 for 20 and Oliver Smith 3 for 32 as they were bowled out for 152.
After escaping relegation by just one point, Minster hoped for a good start when they visited Bromley who ended last term in fourth place. They were asked to bat first and Haider Zaidi scored 68 and Ed Moore 51. However, having been 208 for 5, they ended on 227 for 9. Marcus Lilley took 3 for 36 and Aditya Kumar returned 3 for 40.
In response, the hosts lost an early wicket but Stan Greenleaf hit 50 and Ryan Cartwright a patient 45 before Fred Wilson guided them home with 54 not out at just over a run a ball. Although Bill Prideaux returned 3 for 36, Bromley eased home by four wickets with eight balls to spare.
Finally Blackheath hosted newly promoted Whitstable and, having won the toss, they batted first. Charlie-Sid Speller (86), George Wells (79), Niaz Khan (33), Matthew Golding (31 not out), and Mason Robinson (30) were all in the runs as they finished on 292 for 6. Cullan Larkin was pick of the bowlers with 3 for 43.
That proved to be more than enough when they reduced their guests to 57 for 4 from fifteen overs. Stuart Drakeley scored 73 and Henry Goss 55 to repair some of the damage but they were never able to pose a challenge and finished on 212 for 6.
Images courtesy of Keith Gillard