Students pass tests with flying colours

Indoor cricket

With four points collected from successive indoor matches, Christ Church University 1 have returned to their accustomed place, top of the Pharon Cricket League, writes Alan Bensted.

They go two points clear of undefeated Canterbury 1, who had Sunday off, and on present form the title race is not likely to be settled until they meet each other in the final Division 1 fixtures at the Kent Academy on January 14.

There was a sharp contrast in the manner of CCCU’S victories over Gravesend and Street End 1.

The students’ mix of spin and seam restricted Gravesend to 83-5, Anoop being 29 not out, and at the halfway stage of their reply CCCU still wanted another 54 runs.

Jack Wheeler (22) and Todd Jordan (24) paced themselves well and were still there when CCCU won by four wickets with three balls remaining.

In their next game CCCU made such an explosive start it looked as if Street End could be routed for a record low.

After opener Joe Goldbacher was run out without facing a ball in the first over the accurate pace of Stuart Dockerill accounted for the next four Street End batsmen, two of them bowled for golden ducks.

But Kevin Hopper, at least 20 years older than the rest of the Street End players, spared further embarrassment with the outstanding performance of the day.

With positive running between wickets, the left-hander took Street End to 86-5. Hopper’s 52 not out denied Dockerill – who took 4-22 – every bowler’s wish, a fifth wicket.

Then the champions’ batsmen took charge.

Opener Aidan Griggs retired on 25 and Wheeler (26) and Jordan (20) again saw them home by five wickets in the 11th over.

With CCCU 2 and UKC 1 both winning, the universities now occupy three of the first four Division 1 positions.

Sturry 1 remain pointless despite making a respectable 105-5. They lost by three wickets to CCCU 2 – in the final over.

Ben Rutherford hit a valiant 61 for Canterbury 2 whose six batsmen were all run out by UKC in making 96. UKC won by three wickets with one over left.

New Division 2 leaders are Whitstable, last-over winners over Margate 1. After Jamie Dewell, not out 41, had taken Margate to 96-5, runs from Josh Smith (34), James Loader (28 not) and Jake Guinan (16), plus James Mills’ precious 10 runs, kept Whitstable’s unbeaten record intact – with one ball left. Margate 2 also lost, by six wickets, to UKC 2.

In Division 3 Faversham, bowling out Gravesend 6ers for 68, knocked off the runs for the loss of three wickets.

For the second week in a row Street End 2 were two players short and faced the inevitable against Sheldwich. However, they managed to extend the match to the 21st over.

Sixteen-year-old Ollie Matthews ( 41not) and Sacha Azizi ( 31) enabled Street End to bat through their innings for 93-3. Sheldwich lost two wickets as Kit Sims, retiring on 25, top scored in a four-wicket win.

There were runs galore in the first round of the under-15s’ handicap competition.

Whitstable made 156-4 in beating Chestfield by 10 runs and St Lawrence & Highland Court passed Canterbury’s 105-4 with a wicket and four balls to spare.

There are no fixtures on Sunday when the Kent Academy is closed. PHARON CANTERBURY INDOOR RESULTS Seniors Division 1: Gravesend 83-5 (Anoop 29not, A. Jay 18, Padhiar 18); CCCU 1 85-2 (T. Jordan 24not, J. Wheeler 22not, A.griggs 18, T. Evans 15). CCCU 1 won by four wickets. Street End 1 86-5 (K. Hopper 52not), Greg Lound 10; S. Dockerill 4-22). CCCU 1 88-1 (J. Wheeler 26not, A. Griggs 25ret, T. Jordan 20not)., CCCU 1 won by five wickets. Sturry 105-5 (B. Marshall 44not, S. Lamyman 23, P. Moon 14; J. Harris 2-14, S. Brady 2-24); CCCU 2 106-3 (J. Harris 34not, A. Barker 26ret). CCCU 2 won by three wickets. Canterbury 2 96 (B. Rutherford 61, A. Beck 18); UKC 1 98-3 (C. Burns 25ret, A. Shah 23not, J. Duckett 16; A. Beck 2-18). UKC 1 won by three wickets. Division 2: Margate 2 86-4 (A. Malik 38, K. Anwar 14; M. Sayles 3-23); UKC 2 92-0 (T. Wroot 25ret, S. Nicholson 25ret, S. Street 20not). UKC 2 won by six wickets. Margate 1 96-5 (J. Dewell 41; J. Williamson 19); Whitstable 97-4 (J.smith 34; J. Loader 28not; B. Wellard 3-19). Whitsable won by two wickets. Division 3: Gravesend 6ers 68; Faversham 69-3. Faversham won by three wickets Street End 2 93-3 (S. Azizi 31, O. Matthews 41not); Sheldwich 94-2 (K. Sims 25 ret, A. Daniel 19ret, A. Roe 17, M. Bassam 13not). Sheldwich won by four wickets. Under-15s handicap competition Whitstable 156-4 (H. Legg 32not, L. Sharp 23); Chestfield 146. Whitstable won by 10 runs. Canterbury 105-4 (J. Mcvittie 29,F. Sharp 19); St Lawrence & Highland Court 107-5 (S. Johi 27, J. Bateman 14). St Lawrence won by one wicket.