Stevens’ new deal
Cricket
with Harry Podmore and Matt Milnes to take more than 50 Championship wickets last summer, his 52 wickets costing 17.57 apiece. Such was Stevens’ contribution, he was named Kent’s player of the year for 2019.
It means Stevens will start his 17th season for Kent in 2021 - and he’ll become the oldest county cricketer on the circuit since the mid-1990s. Stevens first made his debut for Leicestershire in 1997.
Gravesend completed a narrow fourwicket win over neighbours Dartford in the Clubbie Cup thanks to an unbeaten half century from Arun Rana.
Dartford (169-6) opener John Smyth hit 71 but with 170 needed for victory, Gravesend (171-6) completed the chase in the final over, Rana winning the game with a boundary. In the Swale Senior Mini League, leaders Minster 2nds clinched a five-wicket victory over Bapchild.
Sayed Alizai picked up six wickets, including that of Bapchild top scorer Matt Lewis (78), before Minster then successfully chased down 173-9. Half-centuries from middle-order pair Nick Walshaw (51 not out) and Harry Smedley (53) proved key in the run chase.
Kai Appleby smashed 57 off 26 balls for the 1sts in their abandoned Kent League T20 game against Upchurch.
Earlier in the day Minster had beaten Lordswood by seven wickets in a T20 contest. Linden Lockhart bagged a halfcentury for Lordswood as they posted 145-8 but Appleby (44), James Thompson (52 not out) and Chris Piesley (31) helped guide the home side to victory, with nine balls remaining.
Cowdrey lead the way in the Tonbridge & Malling Corona League, enjoying a ninewicket win over Kings Hill (109 all out) on Saturday. Openers Xavier Yeats-Brown (61) and Jake McGroarty (38) produced a 103-run partnership as Cowdrey (112-1) got home in 18.2 overs.
In the same league, Tonbridge ran out comfortable winners against Offham, winning by 173 runs. Greg Bird scored 108 not out as Tonbridge posted 240-8 and then bowled Offham out for 67, Martin Batley boasting figures of 4-14 off his four overs.
Louis Greene suffered a stoppage defeat in his bid to become European welterweight champion.
The Strood fighter lost to Belfast’s Lewis Crocker last Wednesday night in Wakefield as the pair fought for the vacant WBO European title. Greene, with just one pro defeat on his record before the fight, was saved by the bell after going down in the first round. He made it to the seventh before being floored again by a body shot and then being stopped by a big right hander soon after.
The ‘Medway Mauler’ was aggressive from the start against his much-fancied opponent - in a fight that was streamed to a global audience but was left sprawling early on following a left-hook.
Both men continued to land some weighty blows. Unfortunately a blow to the temple ended his night, with referee Michael Alexander waving it off in the seventh. Champion Crocker paid tribute to Greene, saying:
“Fair play to Louis Greene, he was as tough as they come and he gave me the toughest fight of my career. It was a great fight for the fans at home.” There was another MTK fight night planned for Wednesday in which Sheppey’s Martin McDonagh (8-1) was set to go face to face with Harlem Eubank (9-0) in a super lightweight scrap.
The pair have been described as bitter rivals during their amateur days. McDonagh had beaten Eubank twice before the pair entered the pro ranks. “I am confident and ready to give him a boxing lesson.” McDonagh, trained by Billy Rumbol, also boasted of being a level above his opponent.