Students setting the standard

CHRIST CHURCH LOOKING STRONG ON ALL FRONTS, WRITES

Early days it may be, but such is the strength in depth of the Christ Church University cricket squads in the Pharon Indoor League there is a distinct possibility they could make a clean sweep of all three divisions.

Of the nine games they have played in the first four weeks of a season that (for them) ends in March only one has been lost and they are scoring runs more or less at will.

Sunday at the Kent Cricket Academy was a typical example. In three matches, all won, they amassed a total of 428 runs for the loss of only six wickets.

CCCU 2 did best with 170 for two against the hapless Harble- down, skittled out for 22 in eight overs in the Second Division.

University opener Jack Wheeler hit two sixes in an undefeated half-century.

In Division 3 CCCU’S first three batsmen, Tom Bale, Michael Griffin and Alex Brunetti-leach, all retired upon reaching 25 as the students scored 143 for one against Margate 1, who replied with 93 for five.

As First Division champions yet to lose, CCCU 1 displayed their powers of recovery after Street End’s Matt Goldbacher had removed both openers, Aiden Griggs and Graham Francis, in his first two overs at a cost of two runs.

Thanks to Sam Brady (32) and Phil Semmens (28 not), CCCU eventually closed on 115 for five (of which 31 were extras).

In spite of 17-year-old Goldbacher opening with 27, Street End were all out for 71.

Mike Rose was struck for three sixes but held two return catches.

So with a fixture in hand, CCCU are still level on points at the top with Gravesend 1, whose run rate is superior and their joy unconfined.

Chasing Gravesend’s 91, Canterbury 2 were well placed at 41 for none at the halfway stage. But a combination of electric fielding and Canterbury’s illjudged running between wick- ets led to a collapse.

All six (five of them run outs) tumbled for 34 runs. Sam Hadlow’s 37 out of 75 was in vain.

Canterbury 1 stay third, being gifted the points by Whitstable 1, who are fined £30 and deducted two points.

Street End have also paid the same price for not fielding a side against Whitstable on September 25.

In the Third Division newcomers Gravesend 6ers 1 and 2 had convincing victories over Grasmere Park and Margate 2 – and share the lead.

Nowadays school- children have such a wide choice of sport on Saturdays that it is having an adverse effect upon the under 15s’ league.

On Saturday neither St Lawrence and Highland Court nor Canterbury A could raise against Canterbury B and Chestfield White Caps respectively.

Street End were two short but thanks to Broadstairs’ sportsmanship fulfilled the fixture. They gave their opponents two fielders and allowed two Street End batsmen a second innings.

The outcome was as expected. Unbeaten league leaders Broadstairs won by 44 runs.

Even though they have topped the table all season, it is mathematically possible for either Whitstable or Chestfield Red Caps to pip them on Saturday.

It will be an interesting climax to the league season because Whitstable, now second, smashed the Red Caps’ 100 per cent record by 19 runs.

Broadstairs, two points ahead of the Red Caps and Whitstable, now play the Red Caps starting at 10am.

With the best run rate in the league, Whitstable play Canterbury B at 12.30pm.

If the Red Caps were to surprise Broadstairs and Whitstable beat Canterbury B, Whitstable could snatch the title. But the Red Caps would need a massive total.

For latest results and tables see page 56.