The only two unbeaten sides in the Kent League Premier Division met in week eight when second placed Tunbridge Wells entertained Sandwich Town.
Sandwich started with a one point lead but extended it with a twenty run victory in the highest scoring game of the day. Tom Chapman came agonisingly close to his first century of the season but was stumped by Liam Buttery off Michael Waller when on 96. His partnership with Robert Goatham put on 170 with Goatham also dismissed by Waller for 58.
Chasing 239, Tunbridge Wells looked like they may be in with a shout with a third wicket stand of 66 between Sam Stickler (43) and Christian Davis (34) but wickets kept falling at important times and they ended on 219 for night with Alex Smith taking 3 for 49.
Third placed Bexley visited Beckenham and won by 42 runs to keep them in a position to pounce should the top two both falter. Having won the toss, Matt Stiddard elected to bat first and although his team slumped to 52 for 4, he and George Haley put on 151 for the fifth wicket before both were out. Stiddard scored 84 and Haley 66. Johan Malcolm took 3 for 53 although Jahid Ahmed’s 1 for 21 off ten overs was equally impressive.
When replying, Beckenham were pinned back by tight Bexley bowling but James Fear’s 46 kept them in with a shout. Malcolm threatened to set up a tight finish but once Adam Ball removed him for 54, the game was as good as done. Ryan Cartwright ended with the best figures, taking 2 for 21 from his ten overs.
Sevenoaks Vine started the day in fourth place and cemented their place by trouncing fifth placed Lordswood by seven wickets. Having chosen to bat, Lordswood were dismissed for 96 and although Sevenoaks lost three wickets, they still raced home with over 30 overs to spare.
John Bowden took 4 for 12 and Andrew Reid-Dick 4 for 18 as Lordswood struggled through 42.3 overs. Although Hugh Scott took a couple of wickets in the reply, but Evert Bekker ensured a comfortable win by hammering 30 from just 24 balls.
Holmesdale had a three point advantage over Blackheath who occupied second from bottom place before play started but it was the hosts who finished the day in the penultimate position. Holmesdale were asked to bat first and Carlos Maynard scored a brilliant 93. However, wickets kept falling and Arafat Bhuyan returned his best figures of the season with 3 for 33.
In reply Blackheath’s openers blunted the attack with Jack Hersh scoring 60 and Chris Cahill notching 39. Ravindra Karunaratne finished it off with a Kent League Premier Division best of 46 not out.
Bottom placed Bromley took on improving Bickley Park in a local derby in the remaining fixture and although they elected to bat it was another tough afternoon for them. They were bowled out for a mere 86 with nobody reaching 20. The wickets were shared amongst the bowlers.
Matthew Patrick with 27 not out and Alex Fullarton, 24 not out, ensured that there were no alarms for Bickley as they recorded their third consecutive win which has taken them from ninth place to the top half of the table.
Pictures from Bromley v Bickley supplied by Keith Gillard.