Kent League Round-Up: Blake scores Hayes ton
Wednesday 20th July 2022
Kent batter Alex Blake scored a brilliant century, 120, for his club side Hayes, in their Premier Division victory, away to Sevenoaks Vine, to stay one point ahead of Minster (Sheppey), at the top of the table.
The Island side were also winners, at home to Bickley Park. The two sides meet at Hayes this weekend in a match that could go some way to deciding who will be this season’s champions.
Hayes scored 349 from their 50 overs, and The Vine were all out for 283 in 49 overs, to give the visitors a 66 run win. Blake struck 14 fours and three sixes in his innings, the runs coming off 82 deliveries. Gareth Severin 72, Tomas Gallagher 56, Luke Schlemmer 3 for 70, Sam Jones 3 for 59.
Sevenoaks skipper Schlemmer also scored a century, 107, with 13 boundaries and two sixes. Michael Cowdrey 66, Kent5 batter Ben Compton 46, former Kent Second XI player Will MacVicar 4 for 40.
Minster beat Park by six wickets. The visitors made 203 for 9 from their 50 overs, Safwaan Imitiaz 72, Michael Ridley 40. There was frustration for Minster’s Aron Nijjar, who was three runs short of his century, 97 not out, when his side won the match, 207 for 4, with four deliveries to spare, after hitting 11 fours and a six in his innings. Joe Parry made 70.
Tunbridge Wells were in fine form at their home Nevill Ground, as they beat bottom club Beckenham by 73 runs. They made 196 in 48.4 overs but then bowled their opponents out for just 123 in 41.4 overs. Viray Bhatia 40 for Wells, Mudit Dayal 4 for 30. Mick Walker then took 4 for 19, and Christian Davis 3 for 11 to complete their win.
Two former Kent players, Adam Riley and Adam Ball, were both influential in Bexley’s 46 run win at home to Lordswood. Riley was 40 not out in his sides 234 for 6, Matthew Stiddard 92, with eight fours and two sixes, and Ball then took 3 for 25 as the visitors were dismissed for 188, Freddie Foster 3 for 44. Kent Second X1 player, Joe Gordon 47, Michael French 42.
Blackheath’s Tanweer Sikander just missed out on a century as they beat Sandwich, at the Rectory Field, by four wickets. He made 98 with 10 boundaries and two sixes in their 226 for 6, Ross Richardson 52, Harry Bee 4 for 43. The visitors had made 223 for 8 from their 50 overs, David Grant, 52 not out, Tejpal Birdi 3 for 44.
There was a big win in Division One for Canterbury, by 153 runs, as they entertained Linden Park at Polo Farm. They scored 265 for 6, Jack Wheeler 76, former Kent Academy student Isaac Dilkes 50, former Kent Second Eleven all-rounder Jared Lysaught 46, Roshan Jayatissa 3 for 36. The visitors then crumbled to 112 all out, Australian overseas leg spinner Lloyd Pope, who plays for Kent’s Second team, 4 for 22.
Folkestone gained a much needed victory away to Dartford, beating the home side at Hesketh Park, by four wickets, after bowling them out for just 103, Shahab Sheik 5 for 24, Nick Ward 3 for 12. Sheik then scored 50, as the visitors won, 104 for 6, Gurveer Singh Saini 4 for 21.
Leaders, St Lawrence and Highland Court, were 50 run winners at home to Bromley Common, who reached 225 for 9 in reply to the home sides 275 for 7, for whom Michel Hales scored 73, and Harry Wren 51. Sam Clarkson 3 for 48. For the visitors Ollie Hickford hit 46 and Clarkson 44.
There was a close finish at Maidstone, The Mote, nine run victors over Old Wilsonians who scored 274, Syd Sherlock 75, Michael Mitchell 53, Louis Prior 43, Jesse Christensen 3 for 41, in reply to the home sides 283 for 7, Christensen 95, Chris Back 54.
Luke Budden and Anthony Bissett both scored 46 to take Holmesdale to a two wicket win, 221 for 8, after restricting visitors Bromley to 220 for 7 in their 50 overs, Nick Bluett 43.
By Peter Burrowes
