Kentish Express Ashford & District
WYE LAND ANOTHER TITLE
Openers Matt Barnes and Max Campbell led the way as Wye clinched the Division 2 crown – and a second successive title triumph – with a 120-run win over Smarden. Campbell (86) and Barnes (51) added 129 to give Wye an excellent start and with Robert Banks weighing in with 36 the visitors totalled 226-3. Smarden were dismissed for 106 in reply with Barnes, Campbell, Banks, Keith Secrett and Ian Lewis all taking two wickets. Matt Leclere took a superb one-handed catch low to his left at third slip. Wye finished the season on 57 points, two clear of runners-up Selling, while Woodchurch clinched the third promotion spot after edging out Worth by two runs. Gary Sargent (43) top scored in the Woodchurch total of 163 and with three required from the final ball, Worth’s Chris Crofts was run out, leaving the hosts on 161-9. Saminda Senapathi was the pick of the Woodchurch bowlers, taking 4-15. Challock finished the season sixth after securing a five-wicket win over Mersham-le-Hatch, who ended up 11th. James Isard starred with the ball, taking 5-26 as Mersham collapsed from 44 without loss to 132 all out (Alex Markwick 40). Matt Barnsley’s 38 then helped Challock home inside 29 overs. An opening stand of 191 between Steve Wellard (125) and Rob Sparks (117) was at the heart of Egerton’s huge 372-4 against relegated Great Chart in Division 1. Wellard scored his runs from 92 balls, with 18 fours and four sixes, while Sparks was even more explosive, taking just 57 balls to score his runs, helped by 15 fours and eight sixes. Alex Newport added an unbeaten 56 and then weighed in with 4-11 from five overs as Chart closed on 178-7 (Ben Moyle 60 not out). Egerton finished the season in ninth, one place in front of Stonein-Oxney. They were dismissed for 133 by Bapchild although their scorecard would have looked a lot sorrier without James Norton’s 59. Henry Pelling-Smith (3-21), Ryan Knight (2-26) and Tevis Knight Sen (2-31) kept Stone in contention but Bapchild got home by two wickets, in the 34th over. Pluckley ended their Division 3 campaign with a five-wicket win over Bredgar, opener Richard Lawton’s unbeaten 55 leading their successful pursuit of a 140-run target. Daniel Simon Dry hit 36 and Gary Hoad 31. Pluckley finished in 10th, with Aldington two places behind them after they lost by six wickets to Holcombe & Blue Bell Hill. Third wicket pair Paul Rodway (83) and Tim Wanstall (53) were the main contributors to their 195 all out but Holcombe eased to their target in 27.1 overs. Openers Tim Lee (78) and Les Milton (41) added 188 to spearhead Charing’s run chase against Division 4 rivals Saltwood but they eventually closed on 247-6 – 20 runs short of their target. Dave Riley had earlier taken 4-34 from eight overs as Saltwood totalled 266-8. Saltwood’s win saw them crowned as champions although there was consolation for Charing who were also promoted in third, after finishing level on points with second-placed Hunton Wanderers. Ian Fagg’s 48 for Mersham Sports (166-9) was in a losing cause as they lost by 46 runs to Teston (212-6) while Kingsnorth were handed a walkover by Wingham 2nds. Kingsnorth finished fourth and Mersham sixth. Half-centuries from Steven Stickels (58), Dave Barrett (54 not out) and Ross Antrem (53) led Rolvenden to a match-winning total of 253-6 in Division 5 against Boughton-under-Blean, who closed on 181-9 in reply (Stickels 3-29). Adam Stuttle’s 4-12 helped Little Chart restrict Linton Park 2nds to 94-9 and Matthew Eccles then hit an undefeated 41 to see them home for the loss of six wickets. Great Chart 2nds (138-9) edged Harbledown 2nds (136-7) by one wicket but Bilsington (149-7) lost by seven wickets to Kings Hill (151-3). Rolvenden finished in sixth, followed by Bilsington, Great Chart 2nds and Little Chart who were 10th, 11th and 12th respectively. James Iles fell 10 runs short of a century as Kennington made 200-8 against Pett in Division 6. Pett lost just two wickets in reaching their target in the 28th over.