Right time to consolidate
In focus
Hunton Wanderers have a new captain as they look to build on survival in Division 1A Central of the Kent Regional League.
Paul Bushell has stepped up after two years as skipper of the 2nds and made a winning start, leading the team to a 31run victory over Holborough Anchorians.
Hunton found life tough last season after winning promotion, staying up by four points.
Bushell said: “We were close to going down but that was our first year up after an almost undefeated season.
“It was a bit of a culture shock coming up, and we lost some players, but we stayed up by the skin of our teeth.
“We want to improve on last year and it’s nice to make a good start. I know it sounds negative but I don’t know if we want to go up.
“I think we need to establish ourselves at this level first and cause some upsets.
“You see teams go up and down and we don’t want to be a yo-yo club.”
Alex Newman top-scored with 60 as Hunton closed on 160- 8. Jack Hart (3-18) then did the early damage before Jack Crouch (4-28) ended the Holborough reply on 119.
Bushell himself made a quickfire 12 down the order.
He said: “I’m a bit of a lowerorder slogger, don’t worry about that. You need to be in the system from an early age to learn a technique.
“I only started playing when I was 20. I’m 27 now.
“I won the duck award last year. It’s those straight balls – they showed be outlawed!”
If Bushell is a slogger, Saturday’s top-scorer S Preston b Curtis .............................33 D Keers b Rocky Hills ..........................2 R Gentry b Curtis...............................15 J Hobbes b Mansell ............................2 D Jones c Fisher b Curtis ....................2 H Parker c Hamill b Mansell ................0 G McIlheron c Rob Hills b Mansell .......0 G Dobson c Rocky Hills b Mansell .......3 J Kirby b Mansell ................................9 B Hughes not out ................................3 J Worth c&b Mansell ...........................7 Extras .................................................9
Total (all out, 29.5 overs) 85 Bowling: Fisher 3-0-14-0, Rob Hills 4-1-17-0, Rocky Hills 4-0-22-1, Curtis 10-3-12-3, Mansell 8.5-2-19-6. S Phipps c Jones b Hughes ...............45 K Richardson c Kirby b Hughes .........17 J Barker not out ..................................6 M Donnelly not out ............................12 Extras .................................................6
Total (for 2 wkts, 23.1 overs) 86 Bowling: Gentry 2-0-9-0, Parker 3-011-0, Kirby 4-0-18-0, Worth 5-1-20-0, Hughes 6-1-13-2, McIlheron 3.1-1-9-0 Newman is quite the opposite.
Bushell said: “He’s one of the few players who’ve got Muthumanikam 3-1-22-0, Patel 7-1-27-0, Durairaj 7-0-27-0, Reid 12-0-67-1, Muthu 8-1-34-1, Muthiah 1-0-13-0. G Malyon b Cowdhury .........................4 A Bowles c Miller b Raffles..................4 S Muthiah c Taylor b McLean ..............0 T Amos lbw b Raffles ........................52 T Muthu lbw b Cowdhury ..................14 H Patel lbw b McMurray ......................4 S Ramlingam b McMurray.................19 V Muthumanikam c Cowdhury b McMurray .0 J Reid not out ...................................16 M Crowther c McMurray b Raffles .......2 P Durairaj b Raffles .............................0 Extras ...............................................16
Total (all out, 34.1 overs) 131 Bowling: McLean 6-2-13-1, Raffles 6.1-2-21-4, Cowdhury 4-0-21-2, McMurray 8-0-24-3, Tibbles 6-1-26-0, Cook 4-0-16-0. J Crouch c Ambler b Akram ................0 A White c Ambler b Landa .................25 A Newman c Howard b Beerling ........60 J Price c Ambler b Akhtar .................17 M Vickers lbw b Beerling ....................0 J Hart b Beerling .................................4 M Hamilton c Howard b Beerling .......12 P Bushell not out...............................12 T Matthewson c Bhomia b Beerling ...10 S Taylor not out ..................................4 Extras .................................................6
Total (for 8 wkts, 40 overs) 150 Bowling: Bhomia 10-1-36-0, Akram 8-2-24-1, Akhtar 10-1-36-1, Landa a technique! He’s rather consistent with his runchurning. He’s one of the 5-1-24-1, Beerling 7-0-28-5. N Khan c Newman b Hart ....................2 R Howard b Hart .................................2 A Landa b Bassam ............................18 A Ranganadane c Newman b Hart .....15 P Beerling c&b Matthewson ..............22 I Gilbert c Bushell b Crouch ...............21 R Bhomia b Crouch ...........................15 A Gallard run out .................................3 S Akhtar c Taylor b Crouch .................9 S Akram b Crouch ...............................1 P Ambler not out .................................0 Extras ...............................................11
Total (all out, 35.5 overs) 119 Bowling: Hart 10-4-18-3, Bassam 7-1-24-1, Price 7-2-21-0, Matthewson 6-1-18-1, Crouch 5.5-1-28-4. C Medhurst b Wilson ...........................4 T Merry b Partridge ...........................12 L Hewitt c Unsure b Wilson .................5 J Harrison c Unsure b Steel ...............48 M Edmonds b Partridge ......................0 M Parsons lbw b Clark ......................33 N Waller c Wilson b Clark ....................6 M Lewis c Wilson b Clark ..................13 younger ones – I hope we can hold on to him for a few years.” D Medhurst not out .............................6 C Austin c Unsure b Clark ...................1 P Abrahame b J Steel .........................2 Extras ...............................................18
Total (all out, 39.5 overs) 148 Bowling: Wilson 10-3-17-2, Partridge 10-1-36-2, Clark 10-0-40-4, Rossiter 5-0-35-0, Steel 4.5-0-15-2. N Freeman b Waller ............................1 D Webb c Parsons b Merry..................0 M Lanning b Waller .............................6 J Steel c Lewis b Waller ......................3 S Saimon b Merry ...............................0 M Collier c&b Waller ...........................1 R Penny b Waller ................................0 B Rossiter b Waller .............................4 H Clark not out ....................................1 G Wilson b Waller................................0 W Partridge b Merry ............................0 Extras .................................................2
Total (all out, 12.4 overs) 18 Bowling: Merry 6.4-1-8-3, Waller 6-3-8-7. A Flynn c Simmons b Kidner ...............6 K Ambanpola c Line b Leppard .........38 M Saul st Leadbetter b Leppard ........44 A Chapman c Simmons b Leppard ..105 P Clifton b Kidner ..............................45 D Wardle not out ...............................11 D Thomas not out ...............................3 Extras ...............................................20 Total (for 5 wkts, 40 overs) 272 Bowling: Kidner 9-2-35-2, Edwards 7-0-50-0, Maguire 2-0-21-0, Leppard 10-1-50-3, Simmons 5-0-35-0, Rodgers 3-0-32-0, Snelling 4-0-39-0. A Burnham b Bryant............................2 T Line lbw b Blewett .........................23 J Kidner run out ..................................0 A Maguire b Bryant ...........................14 D Rodgers c Clifton b Blewett............33 S Vickers b Blewett .............................2 T Simmons not out ...........................13 A Snelling b Blewett ............................0 K Leadbetter c K Ambanpola b R Ambanpola..1 R Edwards b Blewett ...........................1 D Leppard b Thomas ..........................0 Extras ...............................................27
Total (all out, 35.3 overs) 116 Bowling: Wardle 10-2-25-0, Bryant 8-0-21-2, Blewett 8-2-30-5, R Ambanpola 6-1-15-1, Lowing 2-0-120, Thomas 1.3-1-1-1. K Geertsema c S Singh b M Singh .......9 C O’Connell run out ...........................15 G Cross c M Allen b J Allen .................4 M Woods c Kunchala b J Allen ..........20 A Salam c S Singh b Sahota ................4 K Gregory st Kunchala b Sahota ..........2 M Duffell c M Singh b Heer .................5 C Glazier lbw b Sahota ........................0 J Fenn b Sahota ..................................3 M Mead b S Singh ..............................8 S Faulkner not out ..............................0 Extras .................................................9
Total (all out, 29.5 overs) 79 Bowling: M Singh 6-3-10-1, Baucham 6-1-13-0, J Allen 5-1-19-2, Sahota 8-3-17-4, Heer 4-0-10-1, S Singh
Hunton opened their new pavilion last year and next on the agenda is a colts section. 0.5-0-8-1. S Singh b Faulkner ...........................21 N Errington c&b Gregory .....................0 S Singh c Woods b Gregory .................0 A Kunchala c Cross b Salam .............15 S Kidsley b Gregory.............................0 A Heer b Fenn ...................................13 J Allen not out.....................................7 M Allen not out ...................................0 Extras ...............................................24
Total (for 6 wkts, 22.4 overs) 80 Bowling: Gregory 6-1-25-3, Salam 7-1-22-1, Faulkner 4-1-13-1, Fenn 3.4-1-8-1, Cross 2-0-7-0.
FIXTURES KENT CRICKET LEAGUE 1st XI, Premier Division: Blackheath v Beckenham, Holmesdale v Hartley, Lordswood v Sandwich Town, Tenterden v Bexley, Tunbridge Wells v Sevenoaks Vine. Division 1: Bickley Park v Linden Park, Dartford v Bromley, Hayes v Canterbury, The Mote v Bromley Common, Whitstable v HSBC. Division 3: Bexleyheath v Catford & Cyphers, Catford Wanderers v Hythe, Harvel v Old Elthamians, Leeds & Broomfield v Sidcup, Orpington v Ashford Town. Division 4: Downham & Bellingham v OD CUACO, Minster v Old Williamsonians, Old Colfeians v Offham, Rainham v Cowdrey, Tonbridge v Addington Village. 2nd XI, Premier Division: Beckenham v Dartford, Bexley v Tenterden, Hartley v Folkestone, Sandwich Town v Whitstable, Sevenoaks Vine v Tunbridge Wells. Division 1: Bromley v Blackheath, Bromley Common v The Mote, Canterbury v Holmesdale, HSBC v Lordswood, Linden Park v Orpington. Division 5: Ashford Town v Hartley 4ths, Bapchild v Tonbridge, Bromley Town v Harvel, Cobham v High Halstow, Offham v Shooters Hill.
KENT REGIONAL LEAGUE Championship West: Beckenham 3rds v Horton Kirby, Bexley Park v Dartford 3rds, Gravesend 3rds v Pembury, RASRA Eagles v Simba, Shooters Hill v Tunbridge Wells 3rds. 1A Central: Hunton Wanderers v Bobbing Court & Lower Halstow, Sheldwich v Headcorn, Sheppey v Gore Court 3rds, Sherwood v The Mote 3rds. 1A West: Belvedere v Sevenoaks Vine 3rds, Hartley Country Club 3rds v Gravesend, LESSA Christ Church v Oakfield Warriors, Leybourne v Southfleet. 2A West: Bexleyheath 3rds v Dartfordians 2nds, Bromley Common 3rds v Bromley 4ths, Dartford 4ths v New Ifield, Old Wilsonians 3rds v Hayes 4ths, Sidcup 3rds v Snodland Community. 2A East: Betteshanger Colliery Welfare 2nds v Sherwood 2nds, East Langdon v Borstal 2nds, Littlebourne 2nds v Leeds & Broomfield 2nds, Old Williamsonians 2nds v Walmer 2nds, Westgate-On-Sea 2nds v Holcombe & Blue Bell Hill 2nds. 2B Central: Holborough Anchorians 2nds v Frindsbury 3rds, Minster 3rds v Gravesend 4th, Rainham 3rds v Sherwood 3rds, The Mote 4ths v Milstead 2nds. 2C Central: Gravesend 2nds v Sheppey 2nds, Headcorn 2nd v Lordswood 4ths, Holmesdale 3rds v Upchurch 4ths, Kings Hill 2nds v Yalding, New Ash Green 2nds v Hunton Wanderers 2nds.
KENT COUNTY VILLAGE LEAGUE Division 1: Bidborough v Linton Park, Four Elms v Horsmonden, Meopham v Bearsted, Shipbourne v Plaxtol, Sissinghurst v Penshurst Park. Division 2: Cudham Wyse v Marden, Leigh v Flimwell, Outwood v Locksbottom, Speldhurst v Ightham, Withyham v Shoreham. Division 3: Groombridge v Otford, Hadlow v Farningham, Horsmonden 2nds v Underriver, Limpsfield Chart v Southborough, Stonewall Park v Eynsford. Division 4: Chiddingstone v Sennocke, Halstead v Kemsing, Knockholt v Shipbourne 2nds, Luddesdowne v St Lawrence, Weald v Bidborough 2nds. Division 5: Betsham v Limpsfield Chart 2nds, Chevening Amblers v Four Elms 2nds, Linton Park 2nds v Sissinghurst 2nds, Locksbottom 2nds v Fordcombe, Plaxtol 2nds v Meopham 2nds. Division 6: Farningham 2nds v West Farleigh, Kilndown & Lamberhurst v Horsmonden 3rds, Marden 2nds v Outwood 2nds, Penshurst Park 2nds v Cudham Wyse 2nds, Southborough 2nds v Leigh 2nds. Division 7: Bearsted 2nds v Withyham 2nds, Eynsford 2nds v Cudham Wyse 3rds, Hollingbourne v Speldhurst 2nds, Otford 2nds v Bidborough 3rds, Shoreham 2nds v Hadlow 2nds.