Shepherd Neame Kent Cricket League – week 8 review

Massive thunderstorms rolled across the county mid-afternoon on Saturday and disrupted all the Premier matches which ensured all ended as incomplete games.

The only game to produce much excitement was at the Nevill, Tunbridge Wells. The home side invited Sevenoaks Vine to bat first who were soon in trouble at 76-5 until Miles Richardson 78* and Harry Levy 35 added some respectability to the total taking the Sevenoaks side to 186-6 from their 50 overs.

Rain interventions permitted Tunbridge Wells only 19 overs more play and they put on a magnificent show falling only three runs short of the target with just two wickets in hand.

Alex Williams smashed a fine 69 from just 46 balls and Sean Griffin 27 from 19. At the same time Nick Sale was taking wickets, 5-63 as the batsmen strove to maintain the run rate. Miles Richardson also took 3-29 but at almost ten an over. At least one match provided a memorable afternoon.

At Foxgrove Road, Beckenham, the home side recovered well from a poor start of 59-4 and thanks to a good knock of 75 from Chris Isles, Olly Howick 54 and an unbeaten 35 from skipper Johan Malcolm Beckenham managed 214-6 at the close, perhaps a par total on the day.

The storms arrived at tea, no further play was possible despite all efforts, so neither side had the chance to show whether 214 was enough or not.

Christopher Laas, 68, was the main contributor for Bexley as they batted first at Bromley and with Nathan Hill, Matt Smit, James Butterfill and Imran Qayyum all taking two wickets apiece, Bexley were restricted to 180-9 at the interval. They managed just 7 further overs after the break, Bromley reaching 23-1 before the storms ended proceedings.

At Dartford the home side reached 162-5 from 44 overs against Tenterden and at Martin Grove Lordswood 173-5 from 41.2, Linden Lockhart 42 not out and James Anyon 33 versus Hartley as those two games also came to early conclusions thanks to thoroughly miserable day of mid-June weather.

Beckenham 214-6 (50) v Blackheath match incomplete

Bromley 23-1 (7) v Bexley 180-9 (50) match incomplete

Dartford 162-5 (44) v Tenterden match incomplete

Lordswood 173-5 (41.2) v Hartley match incomplete

Tunbridge Wells 184-8 (19) v Sevenoaks Vine 186-6 (50) match incomplete