Clean sweep under threat

Indoor cricket

A surprisingly comfortable win by one of the two Gravesend teams new to the Canterbury Pharon Indoor Cricket League could well have put paid to Canterbury Christ Church University’s chances of claiming the titles of all three divisions. Boasting the best run rate in the league (more than 11 runs an over), Gravesend 6ers 2 replaced CCCU3 at the top of Division 3, beating them by 50 runs on Sunday. After making 128-4, Gravesend bowled CCCU out for 78. Their return match on March 12 may settle the issue. In the second division, the unstoppable CCCU2’S 49-run victory over Littlebourne 2 means that only Sturry 1 and Harbledown stand in the way of them winning all 14 fixtures. Top scorer with 39 for CCCU was wicketkeeper Jack Wheeler, who is now in the running for two medals, the second being with Broadstairs. Two hours earlier, the Thanet champions had underlined the strength of indoor cricket in East Kent when they thrashed Wimbledon (representing Surrey) by 90 runs to reach the regional finals at the Kent Cricket Academy on March 5 – a Lord’s final beckons. Broadstairs will play Wycombe House (Middlesex) at 1.15pm. Their first three batsmen, Elliot Fox, Andy Marshall and Isaac Dilkes, all retired on passing 25 as they totalled 121-1. A left-arm pace attack bamboozled Wimbledon, shot out for 31 in 8.3 overs. Fox took 2-5 and there were two run outs. Whitstable are champions of the Pharon Under-13s’ League. Unbeaten in their six games, they inflicted a first defeat upon Canterbury by 80 runs. Whitstable did not lose a wicket until the 10th over and closed on 147-4. Their bowlers were just as dominant, Canterbury being dismissed for 67. The under-13s now have a cup competition. The final is on March 25.