KENT REGIONAL LEAGUE ROUND-UP: WYE DEFEAT LEADERS

Wye defeated Hythe, leaders of Championship East at the start of the day, by 11 runs on Saturday.

Matt Leclere top-scored with 27 as the hosts, choosing to bat first, were all out for 165 with one ball remaining.

In reply, Hythe lost three wickets cheaply, before Pat Briscoe (30), Sam Pichowski (24) and Matthew Ford (59) steadied the ship. Four wickets for Wye’s Keith Secrett and some tight bowling from Alex Watson

(1-25 from 10 overs), however, helped keep Hythe at bay.

Westgate-on-Sea’s total of 236-9 proved too tough a target for Mersham Sports, who could only manage 159 as they chased quick runs in reply.

Openers Sam Hackney (39) and Abhi Panda (38) gave it a go but once they were out, wickets started to fall regularly and the visitors came up 77 runs short.

Middle order resistance from Craig Mannering (60), Peter Povey (21) and Ian Thomas (11) couldn’t stop Boughton & Eastwell from going down to a 69-run defeat to Nelson in 1A East.

The visitors were bowled out for 118 in reply to Nelson’s 187-7, Ed Miller taking 3-33.

Second from bottom Kennington were no match for second from top Street End in 2A East.

Gideon Lound was left stranded on 99 not out as Street End made 178-8. In reply,

Joe Jolley was top-scorer for 10-man Kennington, who were all out for 87. Champions-elect Willesborough were given a tough fight by Hawkinge before eventually getting through by 15 runs. None of the Willesborough batsmen went on to make a big contribution, with Sunil Gaire top-scoring with 35 in a total of 181-8. Some tight bowling, particularly from openers Sanjay Sharma and Abin Babu, who both picked up two wickets, restricted Hawkinge to 166-9.

Mersham Sports 2nds’ hopes of avoiding the drop from 1B East took a dent as they lost by five wickets to relegation rivals St Margaret’s Cosmopolitan 2nds.

Second from bottom Mersham’s total of 154-8 was overhauled by the team just above them in 31.4 overs.

Tenterden 3rds’ match was conceded by opponents Folkestone 3rds. Leaders of 2B East, Selling, beat Willesborough 2nds (180-7) by eight wickets.