Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Creed century helps set up promotion showdown
Kent Village League
James Creed hit another century as Division 2 title hopefuls Sheldwich beat Egerton by 28 runs to set up a top-of-the-table clash with leaders Meopham this weekend.
Opener Creed hit 110 out of 174 at the crease and received excellent support from Kit Sims (75) and Matt Hammond (43) as unbeaten Sheldwich closed on 292-6.
Egerton openers Steve Wellard (100) and Neil Billings (41) added 106 and Robert Hills (33) and Paul Hope (32) both made useful contributuions as they closed on 264-7.
Street End retained their three-point lead at the top of Division 1 with a 112-run success over Exiles@ Bridge.
They were carried to victory by a superb spell of seam bowling from Sunil Samarasinghe, whose figures of 7-18 ensured that Don Carter’s resolute 85 not out for the Exiles was in vain.
Earlier, Rafi Stone (66) and Paul Betts (52) had been the chief contributors to Street End’s total of 273-7.
Ash slipped to a 56-run defeat at home to Bapchild. Chasing a target of 225-6, they were dismissed for 169 with Diccon Stubbings top scoring on 47. Littlebourne recorded a 45-run victory at Harbledown in a game where their bowlers took the honours.
Littlebourne made 207 all out and then Tony Beer (4-25) and Graham Gould (3-7) combined to remove the home side for 162.
A fourth-wicket stand of 85 between Dan Birch (94) and Josh Tutton (88) proved the key factor in Wingham’s 81-run victory over Town Malling.
It enabled the home side to total 285 all out and they dismissed Town Malling for 204, with Rob Harrison helping himself to 4-40.
In Division 4, Selling suffered an eight-wicket defeat at Minster on the Isle of Sheppey but the hosts had to chase a significantly bigger target than had seemed likely after Selling slipped to 98-7.
Ben Carter (58) and Benn Cox (44) then put on 95 for the eighth wicket to boost Selling to 189-9.
However, it still wasn’t enough as Minster raced to victory in 23.5 overs, led by Tarique Khan with 79 not out.
Wingham 2nds went down to a 71-run defeat at Stowting, who piled up 297-3 batting first– their record score in the Kent Village League – thanks mainly to centuries from Jon Hill and Craig Harding.
Wingham batted solidly in reply, led by Adam Cork (59) but they eventually finished on 226-9.
Tyler Hill remain five points behind the leaders Elvington & Tilmanstone CW in Division 5 after their 63-run success over Norton Sport in which the highlight was a superb innings from Richard Keir.
The Tyler Hill skipper finished unbeaten on 153 to boost his side to 280-6 and Norton Sports then made 217-6 in reply.
Harbledown 2nds secured a six-wicket success at Great Chart 2nds in Division 6.
Richard Bellenie (4-24) and Subhradeep De Sarkar (3-31) combined to remove Great Chart for 123 and then Ben Fruin (42) and Kevin Hulks (36) provided the foundation for the successful run chase.
Leaders Offham predictably proved too strong for struggling Boughtonunder-Blean. They set a target of 258-5 and bowled out Boughton for 147, Cameron Townley top scoring with 42.
In Division 7, Littlebourne 2nds came out on top in a high-scoring game with Herne.
Rob Lawson led the way with 65 as Littlebourne set a target of 274-4 and it just proved enough as Herne were bowled out for 268.
There was an even closer finish at Town Mallings 2nds, where Exiles@ Bridge edged to a two-run victory.
They made 198 batting first and removed the home side for 196, with Darren Abbott taking 4-45.