Hartley on verge of Shepherd Neame Premier League title
Saturday 6th August 2016
Hartley can clinch the Premier title next week if they can win at Beckenham and Blackheath are unable to beat Sevenoaks Vine at the Rector Field.
At the other end of the table, Dartford are all but relegated after their defeat by Bromley. This win for Bromley leaves them only eight points behind Lordswood, in 8th place, who they play next week; a key fixture for them.
In a low-scoring match at Culvey Close Hartley pulled of a narrow 3 wicket victory over Tunbridge Wells leaving them still with a 47 point lead at the top, with just four games to go. It is hard to see them being caught at this stage.
Academy scholar Marcus O'Riordan top-scored as Wells for 136 in 37.4 overs. Fellow scholars Charlie Russell-Vick and Marcus' brother Julian also played.
Bromley completed the double over Dartford as they entertained them at Plaistow Lane. Matt Smit completed his second ton in successive weeks,with 105, and Shavawn Cunningham made an unbeaten 54 as Bromley set 234-8 for Dartford to chase.
John Smyth apart, 54, Dartford struggled for runs in the chase against a steady bowling attack. James Butterfill took 3-33 and Imran Qayyum took 2/30 in nine overs as Dartford were bowled out for 205, 29 runs short.
Adam Ball smashed 90 from 51 balls as Tenterden blasted a formidable 337-4 against Lordswood, a total that was to prove 129 too many for their visitors. Andrew Crawford led the charge with a fine 127 and Christopher Vernon made a handy 84 in their run spree.
Ball struck with the new ball in a ten-over spell of 1/33 as Lordswood were in trouble at 17-3 and the Tenterden bowlers stayed largely on top after that.
Despite 61 each for middle order pair Jack Laraman and Daniel Smith, the bowling of Tom Richards 4-42 and Tyler Griffin 3-16 dominated, Lordswood ending on 208 all out in the 50th over.
George Wells scored an unbeaten 106 for Blackheath as they visited Bexley to anchor the innings as Blackheath managed a relatively modest 211-5 from their 50.
Despite Adam Riley top-scoring with 45, a match-winning performance of 7-27 by Arafat Bhuiyan condemned Bexley to defeat, crumbling from 97-3 to 144 all out.
At Sevenoaks Vine, the home side scored too many for visitors Beckenham. Electing to bat, the Vine accumulated runs steadily throughout their innings. Oliver Durrell, 87, and Michael Barber, 70, were the main contributors and with all the middle order chipping in they posted 281-7 for their guests to chase.
Alexander Senn made a steady 56 in reply, Raza Ali Dar a useful 84, and Johan Malcolm 35 but the run rate was ever increasing and the rest of the batting disappointed. Nicholas Sale took 4-46 as the Beckenham chase ended 42 runs short at 239-9 from their 50 overs.