Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Deadly Drakeley the destroyer
CANTERBURY BOWLER CLAIMS SEVEN-WICKET HAUL TO HELP CITY SIDE TO THEIR SECOND SUCCESSIVE WIN Kent League
Canterbury’s Stuart Drakeley ripped into the Bickley Park batting on Saturday to set his side on the way to a two-wicket Division 1 win, writes DAVID MAIRS.
Taking 7-38 from 14.5 overs, he was the city side’s standout bowler as Bickley Park made 203 all out.
Jos Siddall (61) and Phil Browning (41) were the only batsmen to really get going as the division’s bottom-placed side showed the frailties that have dogged their summer.
It was far from plain sailing for Canterbury, however, in their reply and it was thanks largely to an unbeaten 50 from captain Max Campbell, batting in the unaccustomed position of No 8, that they squeaked home in the final over with just two wickets and two balls in hand. Paul Steer also added a vaulable 42
hitstable are two points above Canterbury after an even tighter match away to Tenterden.
Skipper Buzz Gould was Whitstable’s highest scorer with 89. Dean Lewis (40) and Kai Appleby (18) were the only others to reach double figures.
Tenterden found the going little easier and were on the verge of defeat at 140-9 but the Whitstable bowlers were unable to force the issue as Reuben Collingwood (7 not out) and James Rand (12 not out) secured a remarkable win.
Appleby took 4-24 but his figures will be scant consolation after a defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.
Whitstable captain, Gould, however, refused to look at things negatively.
He said: “Their last pair batted well and a couple of the bowlers got a bit nervous at the end but it was the bowlers who had got us into a position we had no right to be in, so I’ve no complaints.
“I spoke to their captain afterwards and he said he grilled them for half an hour because, although they bowled well, they batted poorly.
“As for us, everyone chipped in and our fielding effort was excellent, with an outstanding catch from Josh Fransman.
“It was a good game, even though it was not the result we wanted – I can’t complain.”
At the halfway stage, Whitstable are just four points from the two promotion positions and Gould believes his side have every chance of clinching the second of them.
He said: “We’ve played some good teams and had good results. We’ve had a few players out but we’re a young squad and there’s a great buzz about the club.
“I’m happy with our position and feel we’re much better suited for the 50-over win-lose format that starts now (after 55 overs a side).
“Things like the powerplays and all leg-side deliveries being called wides make for more aggressive batting. It’s better when it’s just win or lose and you don’t need to worry about getting certain scores or declaring.”
As for his own game, Gould said: “The guys are doing well and I’m glad that I’m getting good competition. Kai Appleby is competing with me for top run-scorer and a couple more lads are coming along well.”
In Division 2, St Lawrence & Highland Court scored 275-7 from their 50 overs, captain William Hilton making an unbeaten 89, Lewis Jenkins 51 and Will Godmon 45.
Luke Blackaby was Holmesdale’s most successful bowler with 4-49 and he then went on to star with the bat, cracking an unbeaten 115 in Holmesdale’s 234-8.
Armand Erasmus finished with 3-61 as the most successful bowler for Saints, who took the winning draw and remain 20 points clear at the top.
Hilton is taking nothing for granted
W
. at the season’s halfway mark, however.
He said: “The P word is banned. After last season, when we were top with three or four games to go and missed out on promotion, I don’t want to pre-empt anything.
“We are, though, looking a stronger and more settled team this season.”
As for the match against Holmesdale, Hilton said: “It was a good result on a flat wicket against another side looking to go up. We bowled well, although perhaps not as well as we can. Luke Blackaby batted well for them in making a century.
“They were pretty much a one-man team. He bowled well and no one else looked like getting going on the batting.”
Chestfield moved into second in Division 3 with a commanding performance against Old Colfeians. The top three all made impressive scores, with Dominic Chambers (78), Tim Collins (86) and Dylan Hunter (69) setting Chestfield on their way to 282-9 off 50 overs.
Hunter then took 3-38 as Colfes were bowled out for just 193 and an 89-run reverse.
In Division 4, Faversham were brushed aside by Cowdrey after making 174 all out, Lee Rigden (35), Ian Jupiter (28 not out) and Daniel Sadler (26) at least seeing them to some respectability.
Andrew Machin (3-47) did his best for Faversham but Cowdrey reached their target in the 50th over for the loss of just five wickets.
Bottom- of- the- table Canterbury’s lamentable form in the Premier 2nd Division continued with a 185-run defeat by Beckenham, who made 307-2 before dismissing their opponents for 122.
Whitstable are faring altogether better in the same division, although they were held to a losing draw against Hartley Country Club.
Choosing to bat first, Hartley were dismissed for 258 (David Thompson 60). Jake Guinan was Whitstable’s most successful bowler, finishing with 5-70 from 8.5 overs.
In reply, Jordi Van Kemenade made 76 and Aaron Garvey 46 not out as Whitstable made 242-8 from their 50 overs.
In Division 2, St Lawrence and Highland Court were grateful to James Fowle (40 not out) and Paul Reynolds (34) for sparing them complete humiliation as they were bowled out by Holmesdale for 116.
Holmesdale eased to six-wicket victory in the 32nd over, Thomas Copestake being the most successful Saints bowler with 2-30.
It was a similar tale for Chestfield in Division 3 as they were dismissed for just 115 by Old Colfeians, who needed less than 22 overs to secure their win.
Whitstable’s Joseph Whittington took 2-33 from his six overs on a day to otherwise forget for his side.
At least in Division 4, Faversham picked up the 20-point maximum, even though it was courtesy of Addington Village forfeiting.