Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Big win brings title ever closer
Kent League
Paul Steer says Canterbury won’t be taking anything for granted after a thumping win over Folkestone moved the long-time leaders 31 points clear in Division 1
A fine hundred by Stuart Drakeley was at the heart of Saturday’s 98-run win at Polo Farm which puts them in a commanding position with only four weeks of the season remaining.
Former captain Drakeley followed up his unbeaten 90 the previous week to score 114 from 86 balls with 11 boundaries and four maximums as Canterbury posted 324-8 from their 50 overs.
Justin Macvicar (50) and skipper Max Campbell (44) gave the innings a good start by adding 79 for the first wicket but Canterbury had slipped to 175-5 before Drakeley and Steer (36) added 109 for the sixth wicket.
“He’s turning himself in to a fine all-round cricketer,” said Steer of his batting partner.
“If we’d lost another wicket soon after I came in, they may well have kept us to 250 which was par on a flat wicket.
“They were missing Hugh Bernard and Jan Gray so they had a reasonably young bowling attack and their heads dropped a little bit.
“Stuart hits a long ball and as a batting unit, we generally bat positively and have got our rewards for that this season.
“Credit must go to Max Campbell, it’s his second season as skipper and he’s created a relaxed environment where we don’t feel under pressure.”
In reply, Aadarsh Shah took 3-26 including the key wicket of Himanshu Waingankar (84) as Folkestone fell short on 226-7.
Canterbury face three of the bottom four in their remaining matches but Steer insists they won’t be underestimating any of the teams they have to face.
He added: “We lost to Whitstable earlier on in the season when they were down there and every team in this league have got good players and are capable of beating anyone.
“We won’t be taking those games for granted as that mindset can get you into trouble.”
Defeat for Whitstable away at Sandwich Town mean that they sit just 11 points above the relegation zone.
After winning the toss, Whitstable scored steadily with their first seven batsmen all making a start without one of them being able to build a significant innings.
Ollie Robinson (45) went closest to a fifty, while Stuart Sinclair made 36 and opener Chris Carter 33 as he and opening partner Dean Lewis (30) added 64.
Matt Hunn (3-48 from 10 overs) was Sandwich’s most successful bowler, while Craig Spanton took 2-33 in 9.4.
Sandwich lost openers Jacob Dickman and Stuart Smith in reaching 31 but Robbie Goatham and Alex Smith then added 91, with the latter making his runs from 68 balls with seven fours.
Ben Chapman and Zack Fagg both went for six and when Goatham (81 from 107 balls, seven fours) was trapped leg before, Sandwich were 198-6 with some work still to do.
Rory Smith’s 29 kept the runs ticking over and once he was eighth out, Ashleigh Cox took over, his 18-ball knock including three fours and a six as Sandwich registered their sixth win.
Chestfield were knocked out of the Division 3 promotion places after hanging on for a losing draw at home to Catford and Cyphers, who subsequently replaced them in second spot.
Tim Collins took 6- 47 from his 15 overs along with a run out as Cyphers put 239-8 on the board.
Arron Bennett added 57 for Chestfield but it was left to Matthew Nordin and Taylor Chandler to hang on for the draw.
Cyphers, Chestfield and Orpington all sit on 196 points with four games remaining.
Chestfield travel to Orpington on Saturday.
In Division 5, Faverham were thrashed at Chislehurst and West Kent. The home side won the toss and batted, posting 266-6 from 45 overs. In response, Faversham crumbled to 92 all out.