Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Street End have title glory in their sights
CRICKET
Street End are poised to succeed Harbledown as Kent Village League champions after beat their rivals by 27 runs.
Maximum points against Ash in their final Division 1 game on September 8 would make sure of the title, while Exiles at Bridge could also do them a favour by winning at home against second-placed Stone-in-Oxney, who are two points behind.
Paul Betts scored 87 and skipper Sacha Azizi 54 as Street End made 217-5 before restricting the visitors to 190-8.
There was, however, an unbeaten half-century from former Street End youngster and Harbledown captain Jago Pearson.
Stone-in-Oxney recorded a fourwicket win over Ash on Sunday after bowling the visitors out for 170.
In Division 5, Tyler Hill were edged out by Elvington in a dramatic finish, the visitors sneaking past Hill’s total of 153 all out with just one wicket remaining.
Harbledown 2nds suffered a 106-run defeat against Upchurch in Division 6, despite 57 from Alex Porter as they made 155 in reply to the visitors’ 261-4.
Owen Holton
scored
60
for Littlebourne 2nds as they won by six wickets at Borden in Division 7 after bowling out the hosts for 122.
Wickham & Stodmarsh batsman Tom Dixey posted a new club record after his outstanding knock of 223 not out against St Margaret’s in a friendly on Sunday.
After his opening partner Ollie Hayward departed without a run on the board and Sam Harlow followed for 19, 20-year-old Dixey shared in a club-record stand of 208 with Gus Purbrick – who contributed 20 – for the fourth wicket.
Dixey hit 14 sixes and 23 fours in his 36-over knock before retiring with four overs to go.
The hosts eventually reached 290-4 from 40 overs before bowling the visitors out for 183 with Sam Espley taking 3-37.
Tankerton FC beat Oscars XI by four runs in an action-packed t20 friendly at the Belmont.
Tankerton were asked to bat first and thanks in large part to a quickfire 18 from Martin Mills and an unbeaten 25 not out from Dave McGovarin, they reached 114-7, with Andy Bruce adding a fluent 14.
In reply, vital wickets from Luke Baker and Dave Fairclough left Oscars needing 11 runs from the final two overs. However, tight overs from Richard Tennant and Mills avenged Oscars’ victory over Tankerton earlier in the season.