Kentish Express Ashford & District
Walmer hold nerve in nail-biter
Division 4 Premier Division
There was a thrilling finish as Walmer beat Bapchild by one run.
Bapchild were out for 209 as they came agonisingly close to the target set by the hosts.
It had been a tricky start for Walmer, losing their top three to single figures, but half-centuries from Thomas Mitchell (50) and Charlie Walsh ( 64) ensured they had something realistic to defend.
Owen Harrison was the pick of the Bapchild bowlers, claiming the three top order batsmen, two of whom were caught behind by wicketkeeper Lee Taylor.
In reply Thomas Carey, at four, was unbeaten on 69 at the close while Taylor added 53 but Bapchild were all out with nine balls left.
There was a clash between two sides with 100% records and it was Staplehurst who came out victorious.
Medway side Frindsbury had won their opening three games but were beaten by seven wickets.
Staplehurst, who have now won their first three games of the season, bowled the in-form visitors out for 149 and then knocked the runs off in 32.2 overs.
Middle-order batsman James Green hit the crucial runs for Kings Hill as they beat Rainham.
The hosts looked in charge after Kings Hill’s top order was dismantled, Harvey Crump (2-33) claiming two of them for a duck.
Matthew Newton ( 2- 34) removed both openers including Mohammed Cowdhury for 18.
But Rainham struggled to get Green, who was eventually snared LBW by Ryan Ward on 63 while Werner Laubscher, batting at eight, added another 39 runs.
Rainham were left chasing 198 but despite Michael Tyrer’s mistake of the reply in five overs to help Sandwich respond to back-toback defeats.
Blackheath overcame Sevenoaks by 112 runs to pick up their first win of the summer following an impressive outing with the bat.
Opening duo George Wells (42) and Dipayan Paul (76) put their side in the ascendency early on, with Tanweer Sikandar (70) adding a significant knock at No.3.
Mohammad Ashraful put on another 47 until the hosts ran out of overs with a score of 271-6.
Eight single-digit scores, including three ducks, saw Sevenoaks rarely threaten to reach the target set for them, despite the efforts of leading scorers Michael Barber (62) and Luke Schlemmer (44).
Ashraful was prominent again, this time with the ball in hand as he worked towards 5-31 and two maidens from his 10 overs.
Bexley also triumphed – by 69 runs – in their meeting with Tunbridge Wells after Calum MacLeod struck 106 from 125 balls.
Put in to bat, the home side began steadily via Matt Cross (46) until MacLeod added the defining runs to make up for three ducks, including one diamond, and three other singledigit scores.
David Smith (4-40) and Marcus O’Riordan (3-43) did their utmost to limit those around MacLeod, with Bexley finally being bowled out for 232 from their 50 overs.
Tunbridge’s reply was then (57) efforts at the top of the order, they were skittled for 170. Pick of the bowlers was Shaun McMurray, claiming 5-24.
Addington Village suffered a 133-run defeat to Old Colfeians.
An impressive second-wicket partnership between Jack Williams (72) and Jonathan Radhakrishnan (98 not out) helped build a total of 268-5.
The Villagers made a promising start, with openers Tom Sallis (27) and Robin Dooley (45) both scoring well, but nobody else made double figures.
An opening partnership of 163 laid the foundations for High Halstow’s 78-run victory over Downham & Bellingham.
Andrew Maurice hit 89 and Ciaran Fredericks 65 at Rayners Meadow.
Christoper Maurice, batting at three, added 77 in a 50-over score of 358-9.
It proved too much for the visitors, although opener Harry Purbrick scored 114.