Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Birch ton the platform for
Kent Village League
Dan Birch led the way with 126 as Wingham continued their bid to retain the Kent Village League Division 1 title with an 87-run win over Ash on Sunday.
Birch and opening partner Paul Bennett (41) added 94 to give the home innings a good start and contributions from Andrew West (35 not out), Chris Goulden (26) and James Widerstrom (23) helped push the total to 283-6.
Tim Smith (3-31 in nine overs) was the pick of the bowlers for Ash, whose total of 196 in reply included 44 from John Stevens and 35 from Ed Laslett. For Wingham, Adam Cork took 4-64 from nine overs and Goulden 3-12 in four.
The defending champions are joint top with Harbledown who were 17-run victors over previously unbeaten Leeds & Broomfield.
Second-wicket pair Jonathan Showler (65) and Jago Pearson (46) shared a stand of 109 and an unbeaten 45 from Toby Vaughan helped push the total to 210-6.
Leeds slipped to 85-6 in reply and despite a half-century stand between the Mccagues – Monte who made 57 not out and his father Martin (39) – they were dismissed for 193. Vaughan completed a good afternoon’s work by taking 4-45 from nine overs.
Littlebourne were convincing winners at Elham Valley, dismissing their hosts for 120 before easing home by six wickets.
It was another good day for the Goulds with dad Graham taking 3-14 from nine overs and sons Buzz 3-33 from nine and Josh 2-32 from eight. Buzz then hit 34 before Robbie Loomer’s undefeated 32 saw Bourne over the line.
Sheldwich scored 313-2 against Bapchild with opener Max Blythin making 116 not out and the luckless Matt Hammond finishing 99 not out. Kit Sims added 68.
Bapchild closed on 172-9 in reply with James Creed taking 4-29 from his nine overs.
Street End, playing one short, went from 70-3 to 99 all out against Wye, with James Chamberlain (37) and Daniel Dolman (34) the only players to make double figures. That was in reply to Wye’s total of 247-5 (Philip Marsh 2-35 in nine overs).
Selling’s game at Woodchurch ended in a tie after both teams finished on 150. The home side reached 136- 4 before the introduction of Ben Carter (6-20 in 4.4 overs) saw them collapse to be all out in 26.4 overs.
Opener Nick Myers ( 66) led Selling’s reply but they were 121-8 before Brian Sweeting (25 not out) started edging them towards their target. The scores were level when Duncan King was run out off the last ball.
Tyler Hill played two short in Division 2 against Mersham Le Hatch who ran up a total of 251-4. Adam Arnold (55) top scored for Hill as they were 169 all out in reply.
Wingham 2nds went down by 78 runs to Kings Hill in Division 4.
Chasing the home total of 201-8, Wingham were 123 all out, with