Runs and wickets for Du Plooy

Tenterden

Leus Du Plooy starred with bat and ball as Tenterden enjoyed a six-wicket win over bottom side Holmesdale at Sevenoaks on Saturday.

The South African all-rounder took a competition best 4-25 and finished 51 not-out, to help his side claim their third Premier Division victory, with eight overs to spare.

Chasing a modest 158, Tenterden recovered from losing opener Chris Vernon to a third-ball duck, as fifth-wicket pair Du Plooy and Tyler Griffin (35 not out) steadied things, after skipper Ben Price had been fourth out at 89 for for 20.

Vernon was beaten by a ball that kept low, while Linden Lockhart was unhappy about being given out stumped.

The home side, still looking for their first win after promotion as Division 1 champions, won the toss and batted, under cloudless blue skies, but lost pinch-hitter May early on, bowled by Sam Weller, leaving them 12-1.

They got past 50, before Weller and Vernon, in his first over, sent back Michael Davidson and Edward Bonner with the total 51, before ex-Tenterden man Harry Galpin went cheaply to make it 54-4.

Du Plooy added Luke Blackaby and home skipper Mark Epps to his tally as Holmesdale tottered on 108-6 before completing a spell of 4-9 by having Jack Hulston held by Weller (127-8).

Tyler Griffin’s excellent work then ran out David Roffey before Tom Richards finished things off, bowling last man William Loosemore for five.

James Rand led an impressive bowling display as Tenterden 2nds beat Folkestone 2nds by 93 runs in the 2nd XI Premier Division.

Rand (3-23) dismissed the top-three batsmen as the visitors struggled from the start, eventually dismissed for 114, with Reuben Collingwood, Sam Jones and Luke Mangold taking two wickets each.

Alistair Burge (44) top scored for the second successive week with skipper and opener Tim Russell hitting 35 (four fours and two sixes) as Tenterden made 207.

Price and Linden Lockhart have been named in a Kent Cricket League squad to play Kent in two T20 games at Beckenham on Tuesday, June 27.