Top-of-table clash win puts Choke in charge

Canterbury & District Bat and Trap League

Artichoke A need just four points from a possible nine to clinch the Premiership title after winning their top-of-thetable clash at Dove Inn B. Tom Wratten hit 12 of the Dove’s 30 runs in the first leg but the Choke hit the 31 needed for the loss of six traps. In the second leg, the Goldup family ran the show for the Choke as they hit 54 of their team’s 66. Dad Mark hit 19 and sons Bradley 18 and Scott 17. Gentil Knyght C leapfrogged Dove B and moved into second as they beat Dover Castle 2- 0 for a sixth straight home win. Matt Watson won the first leg for the Knyght’s with 16 not out but in the second leg, Dover Castle batted first and hit 63 with Dan Eller hitting 18. Good bowling by Dover Castle saw the first six batsmen out for 30, with Lee Rigden and Mark Nowell taking three traps each. However, the Knyght’s Melvyn Austin and Dave John kept their nerve and hit the required runs with 23 and 11 not out. Steve Budd took four traps in just 11 bowls for the Knyghts. Littlebourne Rec and Golden Lion A were level at 1-1 when they decided on a bowl-out. Lion A hit four traps out of eight bowls to take the third leg. Martin Whale hit 55 runs and took three traps, while Willie Gough replied with 28 in Catholic Club’s 2-1 win over Golden Lion B. Smugglers B moved back to the top of Division 1 after defeating the Black Pig 2- 0 at home. Tom Hibbert hit 32 runs with team-mate Matt Carr taking three traps. Nick Swinford hit three traps for the Pig. The Two Brothers mustered their second league win as they sent Gentil Knyght B into second place with a 2- 0 victory. Skipper Jim Catt lead the Two Brothers charge with 21 runs. Market Inn B travelled to Oare to play Castle A and came away with all three points with a 2-1 win. Market Inn A went down 2- 0 at home to the Compasses. Only two games were played in Division 2, Faversham Town FC kept up their title charge with a 2- 0 win at the Red Lion A and now only need one point to clinch promotion. Kestrels won 2- 0 against Evenhill Crusaders A with Anthony Burden hitting 41 from the No.7 berth to help clinch the first leg. In the second leg, Steve Bassett hit the 23 not out for the Kestrels. Evenhill Crusaders B remain top of Division 3 after defeating Two Brewers A 2- 0. Golden Lion C stayed second after getting a 2- 0 walkover against Huntsman and Horn. The Dove Inn A travelled back from Graveney pub the Freewheel as 2-1 winners.

Golden Lion sealed the Ladies Division 1 title with a 2- 0 victory against Kings Head B. Jamie Aitken scored 25 runs in the second leg for the winners, while Hannah Dawkins took three traps for the losers. After losing the first leg, Golden Oldies batted well in the next two to pull themselves out of relegation danger with a 2-1 win at Herne Bay Catholic Club. Shirley Chaney scored 22 runs in the second leg and 24 in the third, while teammates Tammy Hughes and Jan Gardener scored 23 and 35 respectively in the second. Twenty runs in the second leg from Kelly Calvert and five traps from Sarah Morhen was not enough to prevent Castle B losing 2- 0 at Home to Haywain. They now join Herne Bay Catholic Club and Kings Head B in a battle to avoid relegation. In Division 2, Red Lion A beat Castle A 2-1 with Michelle Streeter scoring an 73 runs in the first leg. Golden Lionesses won their final match, 2- 0 against Kings Head A. A comfortable 2- 0 win against Ye Olde Beverlie meant that Red Lion B remain in the running for promotion with one game remaining. Canterbury cyclist Mark Jeffery established himself among the leading riders in the world in his age group after a gruelling event in south west France. Jeffery took part in the UCI World Masters Grand Fondo in Albi, shrugging of 100degree heat and more than 7,500ft of elevation on the mountainous course to stop the clock in a time of 5hr 14min to take 278th in the world in his agegroup.