Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
GRAVESEND ARE ON COURSE TO HAVE TWO TEAMS IN TOP DIVISION Club gamble paying off
PHARON INDOOR CRICKET LEAGUE:
ON COURSE for having two teams in the top division of the Pharon Indoor Cricket League are Gravesend, whose admission raised a few eyebrows because of the travelling involved.
But so keen are they to play at the Kent Academy at the St Lawrence Ground that, after a tentative start, their gamble has paid off.
Promoted to Division 1 when Beltinge and Sturry turned down the chance and Street End 2nd dropped out, Gravesend 1st finished mid-table.
Now, going into the later stage of the season, their seconds lead Division 2 and are the only undefeated side in the league.
Gravesend always put bat to ball with a flourish, bowl a variable pace and field with boundless energy. What has become a deadly combination sealed their ninth win in a row on Sunday.
Usman (55) and Rafiq (31) took them to 129 against East Kent Police who, despite Sacha Azizi’s 40, were all out for 91.
Without a scorer and therefore giving their opponents a dozen runs, Macknade still managed to beat Littlebourne by two wickets.
The two Andys, Bennett (33) and Coleman (25), were not out in Littlebourne’s 124-5, but Machin and Freed saw Macknade home with two balls to spare.
In Division 3 Chestfield’s 100% record was smashed by Christ Church University 2nd, late entrants making a good impression.
Alex McKenzie (37 not) and Chris Thomas (22) were the only significant contributors to the students’ 87-5.
Chestfield lost three wickets in the first three overs and, although Steve Cox (42 not out) led a recovery, he ran out of overs, Chestfield losing by six runs. Harbledown go top.
For sheer endeavour, enthusiasm and, above all, enjoyment, the way the younger school children respond to being taught the basics and, sometimes, the finer points of the game, indoor or out, is a joy to behold.
Whatever their standing in the Under-13s’ League, at their age they never look like flagging – as is shown by the present table.
With two weeks of the league programme remaining, only four points separate seven sides.
Losers just once, Chestfield Red Caps and Nonington share the leadership after resounding wins on Saturday.
Stylish batting and fearless running between wickets saw the Red Caps score 142-4, then restrict the pointless Street End to 47-3. Nonington lost only one wicket in a 20-run victory over Canterbury.
Next two in the table are Macknade, who failed by six runs to reach Whitstable’s 92-4, and Broadstairs, whose 114-4 was not enough to worry the White Caps, who completed a notable double for the club on the day.
Honours are not likely to be decided until February 23 when the snowed-off fixtures of January 19 will take place.
The cup competition begins on March 2 with the semi-finals and final on March 9.