Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Davis steps up to finish off job
Kent League
Canterbury returned to winning ways in Division 1 after securing a dramatic late win at promotion rivals Bromley.
Despite a breezy 45 from Aussie Kris Glass, the city club lost wickets regularly and only 26 and 27 not out respectively from tailenders Ed Govier and Thomas Bale ensured they reached 184 all out in the final over.
All-rounder Glass also proved effective with the ball, claiming 4-36 from his 10 overs, although Tom Davis stole the show with 4-16.
At 102-2 the hosts looked strong favourites but Glass took four of the next five wickets to fall to leave the hosts on 158-7 and Davis took over to whip out the tail and ensure a 10-run win with just 14 balls to spare.
The victory took Canterbury level on points with second-placed Bromley, although still 24 points adrift of leaders Bickley Park.
After last week’s first win of the season against Canterbury, Whitstable suffered a 74-run reverse at Hayes.
Four players scored half-centuries as the hosts amassed 274-6 from their 50 overs with five of Whitstable’s eight bowlers picking up a wicket.
The reply never got going, with openers Jake Guinan (0) and Ben Mills (1) departing swiftly. James Loader’s knock of 26 batting at No.6 was as good as it got for the visitors until skipper Stuart Sinclair took over.
Sinclair hit 15 fours and cleared the ropes three times as he made 95 from 84 balls but he could not drag his side into contention as they were eventually dismissed for 200 with 13 balls remaining.
St Lawrence & Highland Court saw their Division 2 title hopes suffer a blow as they went down by five wickets against Folkestone.
Skipper Will Hilton (44) and James Widerstrom (58) added 76 for the fourth wicket but no other pairing reached 50 as wickets fell and the visitors were restricted to 227-8 from 50 overs. Kent bowlers Mitch Claydon and James Tredwell took two wickets each.
Widerstrom took 2-31 from 10 overs in reply but the hosts eased to the line with more than six overs to spare on the back of an unbeaten 66 from as many balls from Tredwell.
Saints remain top despite the loss but an incredible eighth-wicket stand helped Chestfield secure an unlikely win at Nonington to sit just two points behind the leaders.
Skipper Tim Collins (3-46) did his bit with the ball and Dylan Hunter and Arron Bennett claimed two scalps each as the hosts were bowled out for 217 from the final ball.
In reply, opener Dan Patching made 33 but Jago Pearson (23) was the only other member of the top seven to reach double figures.
With his side on the ropes, however, Collins hit 63 not out, with Bennett adding 62, to drag their side to the brink of victory, which was achieved with two wickets and 17 balls in hand.
Skipper Collins said: “We cocked it up a bit at the start. Our top order flopped a bit for one reason or another but we bat deep, all the way to 11, which is an advantage we have over other teams.
“They thought they had us when we came together but we said at that point that if we just managed to bat out the 50 overs, then we’d probably chase it down because they had not scored that many. We just kept saying ‘don’t get out’ and that’s what happened. It was a great win and confidence is high.”
A fine 66 from opener Nigel Gammon was in vain as Faversham were well beaten at struggling Betteshanger Colliery Welfare in Division 5.
Vince Taylor made 42 batting at No.6 but the visitors were dismissed for just 191.
Andy Perkin collected an impressive 3-31 from 15 overs in reply but the hosts eased home with five wickets and nearly six overs to spare.
Josh Butterworth’s four wickets and a half-century from Julian Thompson were in vain for Whitstable 2nds as they lost by 75 runs at home to Folkestone in 2nd XI Premier Division.
Joe Gordon took 4-18 and tailender Alexander Christie hit 50 but Canterbury 2nds lost to Bromley by 19 runs in Division 1.
Alex Day’s superb 106 and a Joseph Payne five-fer inspired St Lawrence & Highland Court 2nds to a 142-run win at home to Rainham in Division 3.
A stand of 115 between Ben CarpenterFriend (87 not out) and Jason Robson (69 not out) couldn’t help Chestfield 2nds see off Chislehurst & West Kent who clung on for a draw in Division 4.
‘It was a great win and confidence is high’