Sturry lose top spot following surprise defeat

At this time of the year club cricketers are fidgeting to go outside. In consequence, there was an end-of-season flavour about much of the indoor version of the game played at the Kent Cricket Academy on Sunday. But there was one surprising exception – the defeat of Sturry 1, leaders of a cluster of teams seeking promotion from Division 2 of the Pharon League along with the champions, Christ Church University 2. And who beat them? Woodenspoonists Street End 2. It was only their third win in 12 matches. As a result, with two weeks remaining, Littlebourne 2 have overtaken Sturry. When they meet each other, in next Sunday’s final fixture there will be all to play for. Given a flying start, Sturry closed on 134-4 against Street End thanks to Tom Jessup (48), Jack Fagg (30 not) and David Gentry’s 27 retired. But, although they lost two early wickets, Street End were to score at a faster rate. Philip Marsh (33) and James Chamberlain (26) put them in control before a Sturry comeback and, with only one wicket in hand, Street End required 19 runs from the last two overs. Last man Chris Lingham, playing the innings of his life, duly obliged. With three balls left, he struck Fagg for the winning three past mid-off and was 27 not out. Conceding 20 wides and no balls had not helped Sturry’s cause. Against Whitstable 2, Littlebourne owed much to not outs from Alex Mullet (28) and Andrew Coleman (27) in a three-wicket victory gained from the first ball of the final over. CCCU’S wonderful winter had closed with a six-wicket win over Harbledown. The students lost only once in 14 matches. Gravesend 6ers 2 – a new force to be reckoned with in Division 3 – and Margate 1 are neck and neck in the race for the title. They meet each other in the last game of the season on April 2. Unusually for any CCCU team, their thirds chased a big score, Gravesend 6ers 1’s 138-2 – and failed by 43 runs. Margate beat Grasmere Park by eight runs.