Shepherd Neame Kent Cricket League – week 6 review

After six weeks, the 2015 season is set to become an enthralling season with no one dominating the Division, writes Errol Valentine. Hartley share top spot with Tunbridge Wells, albeit the latter has played one extra game.

Beckenham are just eight points behind with Blackheath breathing down their necks just one further point adrift.

There was a run fest down at Culvey Close where Hartley entertained Beckenham. The visitors invited their hosts to bat and Hartley set off at high speed with Dan Stickels (30) and James Hockley (22) scoring at six an over.

With their dismissals Nick Hendrie joined Joe Denly as they began to develop the good start.

Beckenham toiled hard without success but steadied the run rate until Raza Ali Dar had Denly stumped for 93 with the score on 218-2. Hendrie followed shortly thereafter for 55 when Scott McKechnie joined James Thompson.

The pair raised the scoring rate once more with Thompson scoring 42 from 29 balls and McKechnie remained unbeaten on 52 from 37 as Hartley raced to 335-5 from their full allocation.

Beckenham commenced cautiously to start, Will MacVicar making a solid 63 and Alex Blake a breezy 42 but when MacVicar departed to leave the total at 199-4 the required run rate had risen.

Ollie Howick now joined Raza Ali Dar and the pair launched an assault on the Hartley total. The two looked like thy may pull of a spectacular run chase but Dar was removed for 83 from 78 balls to leave the score on 317-5.

Howick scored an impressive knock of 66 from just 39 balls when run out leaving six required from the final ball. This was not forthcoming so Beckenham ended five runs short of their target.

Andy Tutt may have been the difference with his nine overs going for just 25 runs a fine performance in such a high scoring game. A truly memorable match.

Tunbridge Wells meanwhile had earlier destroyed Sandwich Town by ten wickets at the Nevill.

Invited to bat, Sandwich were soon in early trouble, with only Ryan Davies making 48 and Dan Evans 36 the only two batsmen to show much resistance as Alex Williams 4-26 and Chris Williams 4-44 tore through their order to bowl their visitors out for a meagre 123 in only 24 overs.

Alex Williams then blasted an unbeaten 91 from 65 balls and with his more sedate partner Nick Selman, 36, Tunbridge wells raced home in 24.2 overs.

Folkestone picked up their first and much needed win of the season as they defeated Bexley by five wickets on the South coast. The home side won the toss and invited Bexley to have first use of the wicket.

James Strang and Himanshu Waingankar both shared six wickets as Bexley fought for runs. George Haley, 54 and George Wells, 40, apart, the Bexley batting disappointed and they were restricted to 212-9 from their 55 overs.

The Folkestone batting line up, strengthened by Kent men Darren Stevens and Ben Harmison battled hard in the chase and with Himanshu Waingankar scoring 51, Sam Ireland 45 and Stevens 44 reached their target five down in the 53rd over.

Lordswood's miserable start to the season continued as they were beaten by three wickets by Sevenoaks Vine at Martin Grove.

Invited to bat first, the home side struggled all afternoon for runs and without a valuable 70 by Chris Piesley, their total of 148 would have been considerably worse.

Karl Pearson did most of the serious damage taking 5-26. The Vine also found runs hard to come by but thanks to 43 by John Bowden and an invaluable 63 by Miles Richardson, despite a little flurry of wickets, Chris Piesley taking 3-6, over the Vine crossed the line with three wickets in hand in the 39th .

In the final match of this round, Blackheath their second defeat in succession as the visited Bromley. Electing to bat first only thee Blackheath batmen passed 20 with their top scorer Duncan Willets making 34.

Imran Qayyum was the most productive bowler with 4-33. Bromley romped home in the 32nd over to win by six wickets, Miguel Barbosa scoring 41 and Freddie Wilson 40.

WEEK 6 RESULTS

Bromley 151-4 beat Blackheath 150-10 by 6 wickets

Folkestone 213-5 beat Bexley 212-9 by 5 wickets

Hartley 335-5 winning draw against Beckenham 331-6

Lordswood 148-10 lost to Sevenoaks Vine 149-7 by 3 wickets

Tunbridge Wells 127-0 beat Sandwich Town 123-10 by 10 wickets