Shepherd Neame Kent Cricket League 2017, week 15
Sunday 13th August 2017
The title race was blown wide open as Sandwich Town closed the gap on the top two with victory.
Third-ranked Town won at second-placed Beckenham to move within seven points of leaders Bexley, who lost at home to Sevenoaks Vine.
Beckenham won the toss and invited Sandwich to bat with the visitors posting 200 for nine with Alex Smith top-scoring with 49.
The hosts fell 14 runs short despite half-centuries by Chris Isles and Adam Senn.
Sevenoaks Vine pulled off a surprise last-ball win at Bexley thanks an excellent display with the ball.
New-ball bowler Tom Parsons took 2/17 in nine overs and Lorne Burns (4/29) and John Bowden (2/17) finished the job to dismiss Bexley for 155.
Adam Rouse scored 44 for Vine in a 65-run stand with Oliver Howick and Vine look well set for victory before wickets fell regularly to give Bexley hope.
Howick (44*) shepherded the tail superbly and hit a six off the final ball of the match to seal a superb one-wicket win to maintain Vine’s survival hopes.
Fourth-placed Blackheath beat Tunbridge Wells, who needed a win to extend their gap on the relegation places.
Ivan Thomas continued his comeback from injury with 1/19 off five overs for Blackheath and academy scholar Charlie Russell-Vick scored 22 not out for Wells as they fell seven runs short of the hosts’ 173.
Hugh Bernard took 5/51 as Lordswood won at title holders Hartley Country Club, who sit seventh in the table.
The hosts put on 120 for the first wicket and 120 for the following nine wickets before Lordswood chased 240 with two balls and two wickets to spare.
Finally, Tenterden beat basement boys Holmesdale thanks to Adam Ball scoring 63 and Chris Vernon’s 85 in a 71-run win.
With three rounds of matches to play, it’s a three-horse race for the title and several teams battling to avoid joining Holmesdale in Division One in 2018.
