Shepherd Neame Kent Cricket League – week 5 results

Beckenham 179-10 lost to Sevenoaks Vine 273-5 by 94 runs

Ollie Durell 53, Zak Crawley 84, Nick Sale 45, Michael Barber 41*

Will MacVicar 56

Blackheath 208-6 beat Bexley 189-10 by 19 runs

Tanweer Sikander 45, Jahid Ahmed 34, George Wells 33

Christopher Laas 52, Matthew Stiddard and Louie Terry 26, Jahid Ahmed 5-48

Dartford 165-9 lost to Bromley 166-7 by 3 wickets

Charles Hartley 50, Ross Allen 10-7-6-1, James Butterfil 4-18

Matt Smit (52), Charles Hartley 3-53, Howard Powell 38-3

Lordswood 145-10 lost to Tenterden 206-10 by61 runs

Ben Price 81, Jack Laraman 4 – 23

Sam Weller 4 -17

Tunbridge Wells 174-10 lost to Hartley 216-8 by 42 runs

James Hockley 88, James Thompson 32 Sean Griffin 3-34

Jamie Baldwin 49*, Calvin Savage 3-31

Blackheath edge their noses one point clear at the top following a 19 run victory over Bexley at the Rectory Field. Bexley invited their hosts to bat first. The Blackheath innings could be described as steady with Tanweer Sikander making 44, Jahid Ahmed 34, George Wells 33 and Warren Lee 30 without any able to progress further. Blackheath closed on 208-6, to set Bexley a target. At 109-3 Bexley had reached a good platform, Christopher Laas leading the way with 52. Matthew Stiddard and Louie Terry both made 26 but the remainder could not do enough to reach the target and with Jahid Ahmed taking 5-48 Bexley were bowled out for 189 with 8 balls remaining.

It was hard to believe Sevenoaks Vine had lost three of their opening games before Saturday as they tuned in an excellent all round performance to totally outplay Beckenham in all departments to take a needed 18 points away from Foxgrove Road. Sevenoaks Vine, invited to bat, made a steady start with Ollie Durell making 53 and Zak Crawley a fine 83. Crawley departed with the score on 196-3 but then Nick Sale 45 and Mike Barber 41 not out added final momentum to boost the Vine to a formidable 273-5 at the close. Take nothing away from this fine batting performance but the Beckenham bowling was highly disappointing, conceding 35 extras, of which 28 were wides, not only providing extra runs but almost an extra five overs to the batting side. Poor at this level.

In reply, Chris Isles 22 and Alex Senn 39 added 50 for the first wicket in quick time. In form Will MacVicar made a useful 56 but after this the Vine bowlers took complete control against some indifferent batting as Beckenham collapsed from 118-2 to 179 all out. The Vine all bowled well after the opening blitz, Nick Sale retuning the best figures with 3-10 but it was a fine all round performance by the Vine in the field and a well-deserved victory.

In the bottom of the table clash between Bromley and Dartford a tight encounter saw Bromley record their first win of the season to leave Dartford now the only winless side in the Premier. Dartford won the toss at Hesketh Park and it was only 50 by Charles Hartley that spared their blushes as Bromley dominated with the ball. James Butterfill with 4-18 returned the best figures but the Bromley attack was consistent throughout as Dartford struggled to 165-9 from their 50 overs. Dartford fought hard when they took the field. Matt Smit led the Bromley chase with 52 but Charles Hartley, 3-50 and Howard Powell 3-38 kept the pressure building together with a fine spell of 1-6 from ten overs by Ross Allen greatly assisting. A hard fought 39 by Shavawn Cunningham and an unbeaten 34 from Mahi Mahfuzul saw Bromley home for a three wicket victory on a day where bowlers dominated.

New comers Tenterden continued their fine first start in the Premier with an emphatic 61 win against Lordswood away at Martin Grove. Ben Price was the mainstay of the Tenterden innings after electing to bat with a fine 81 from 71 balls. Jack Laraman took 4-23 as Tenterden reached 206 when they were bowled out at the end of the 45th over. Jack Laraman 34 and Sean Dickson 29 made a decent opening stand of 68 but the Tenterden bowling began to dominate. Sam Weller with 4-17 and Chris Vernon 3-23 took control as Lordswood were bowled out for just 145 in their 42nd over.

At the Nevill the home side invited Hartley to bat and it was James Hockley with 88 and latterly James Thompson, 32, who made the lion's share of their total of 216-8, a normally modest total on a good Nevill wicket. Sean Griffith was the pick of the bowlers with 3-34. Tunbridge Wells were floundering on 54-5 when Jamie Baldwin joined Marcus O'Riordan in the middle a try to rebuild. O'Riordan departed for 38 to leave the score on 124-6 but despite a valiant effort of an unbeaten 48, Baldwin ran out of partners 42 runs short of the Hartley total. Calvin Savage produced the best figure for Hartley with 3-31 but it was a good all-round bowling and fielding effort that ensured the points for Hartley.