Kent League Round-up: Stevens plunders 159 in injury return
Wednesday 29th June 2022
Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens, who has been sidelined for a few weeks with a shoulder injury, tested his fitness in explosive fashion, when he played for club side St Lawrence and Highland Court.
Facing Divison One rivals Dartford at home, they beat their visitors by 90 runs, with Stevens plundering a magnificent 159 not out off 115 deliveries, with 13 boundaries and seven sixes, in their total of 309 for 4, and they then bowled Dartford out for 219.
It was a bruising experience for the team from North Kent, with Will Holden also hitting a half century for the Division leaders. In the Dartford innings there was a defiant knock of 120, with 18 fours and two sixes, from their overseas player, Gurveer Singh-Saine, Tom Copsake 4 for 39 for the winners.
Top of the Premier Division, Hayes, came up with another impressive victory, beating Beckenham by nine wickets. The visitors could only reach 171 for 9 from their 50 overs, Alex Senn 41, Andrew Eddicott 3 for 31. Hayes then knocked off the winning runs 174 for 1 in 34.5 overs, James Bamber 64 not out, Will MacVicar 45 not out, Gareth Vernon 52.
There was a close finish in the match between Bickley Park and Blackheath, the home side winning by one wicket, with a delivery to spare reaching 197 for 9 in reply to the visitors 196 all out. Brendan Louw scored 68 for Blackheath, Krishna Padmanabhan and Elliott Hooper both having identical bowling figures 3 for 36. Hooper then scored 59 in Bickley Park’s winning total.
James Thompson scored 72, with eight boundaries and five sixes, and Ed Moore 61 for Minster (Sheppey) in their seven wicket victory 170 for 3 over visitors Bexley, who had been bowled out for 166, George Haley 68, Joe Parry 3 for 44.
Tunbridge Wells beat Sevenoaks by four wickets at the Nevill Ground. After the visitors scored 274 for 8, Evert Bekker 56, Alex Williams 3 for 39, Wells won in 44.4 overs, 215 for 6, Chris Williams 83, with a six and eight boundaries, Alex Williams 45.
Sandwich lost their match away to Lordswood, by seven wickets, after being bowled out for 188, David Grant 43, Jack Laraman 3 for 13. The home side reached a winning 190 for 3 score from 43.4 overs, Ed Taylor 58, Linden Lockhart 56.
Back in Division One there were plenty of runs in the match between Linden Park and Old Wilsonians, the home side winning by 59, after posting 334 for 8, a brilliant century from Graeme Francis 123, Sadiq Hassan 79, Roshan Jayattisa 50, Matt Golding 3 for 69. Wilsonians were then all out for 275, Jon Rodda 60, Mike Mitchell 63, James Spear 3 for 57, Fred Hulbert 3 for 43.
There was a convincing victory, by 119 runs, for Canterbury, when they visited Holmesdale. After scoring 305 for 8 they bowled the home side out for 186. In the Canterbury innings, former Kent Second Eleven player, Jared Lysaught hit 89, with 10 sixes and four boundaries, and there was an identical score 89 from James Lilley, 10 fours and a six. James Poulson 3 for 84. Will McDowall scored 45 in the home sides reply, three wickets apiece for Lloyd Pope and Ewan Munday.
Bromley were big winners over The Mote, beating the Maidstone based side at home by 105 runs. Their 242 for 8 due largely to skipper Fred Wilson 66, and 50 not out from Jam Ali. The Mote could only reach 137 of 40.3 overs in a disappointing reply, Thomas Harvey 30, Hassain Ali 31, Vishniyith Parakirama 3 for 24.
There was a home win for Folkestone by 33 runs, over Bromley Common. Despite being all out for 178 it was enough for victory,as they then dismissed their visitors for 143. In the seasiders innings Leon Morgan scored 43 and Nathan Ingleston 41, Sam Stuart 3 for 36, but some excellent bowling, 5 for 29 by Shahab Sheikh and 3 for 25 by Kane Wheeler put the home side in control of the match despite James Butterfill’s 48 for The Common as he finished on the losing side.
By Peter Burrowes
