Kentish Express Ashford & District
Another ton from Du Plooy sees his side home
Tenterden
Another century from South African recruit Leus Du Plooy helped Tenterden to a six-wicket win against The Mote on Saturday.
Du Plooy hit an unbeaten 101 as Tenterden passed The Mote’s total of 234-5 in the Kent League Division 1 game.
Tenterden captain Tevis Knight said: “It was a really good game for us, but also a weird one. We bowled really well to begin with and had them at 30-3 but then they dug in and batted really well.”
Despite his team’s loss, The Mote’s Mickey Back will take some comfort from his own performance, scoring an impressive 109 not out from 166 balls.
The Maidstone side started the defence of their total in the best way imaginable as Louis Cameron dismissed Tenterden opening batsman Tim Russell leg before with his first ball for a duck.
Knight explained: “We had the worst possible start to the innings, but then Leus Du Plooy came in and got 101 not out, which really helped us.”
The Tenterden skipper also batted well before falling to Cameron for 68, while Ben Price’s 29 not out helped round off the victory as Tenterden won the game with two and a half overs to spare.
Du Plooy’s ton at the weekend was his second unbeaten century in three innings. With a lowest score of 94, his league run tally stands at 304.
Mote captain Alex Fordham broke a thumb while keeping wicket during Tenterden’s reply.
The win leaves Tenterden fourth in Division 1 on 92 points, one point ahead of HSBC. They host Whitstable on Saturday. In the reverse fixture at Morghew Park, Tenterden 2nds were unable to nail down victory against their Mote counterparts in Division 1.
The visitors, replying to Tenterden’s 196-7 form 50 overs, were 124-7 at one stage but an unbeaten seventh-wicket stand guided the Maidstone side to a three-wicket win with one ball to spare.