Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Win maintains positive start
Kent Village League
Harbledown maintained their winning start to the Division 1 season with a 51-run success over 10-man Street End at Rough Common on Sunday.
Openers Greg Shields (43) and Graham Vaughan (24) added 64, before skipper Gavin Dixon (83) and Toby Vaughan ( 58 not out) took over, sharing a fourth-wicket stand of 80 to help steer the total to 272-4 (Philip Marsh 1-28 from nine overs).
Paul Betts (73) and captain Sacha Azizi (49) gave Street End a great start in reply, with an opening partnership of 126 but once they had been parted, wickets started to fall with Toby Vaughan (5-28 in nine overs) doing most of the damage.
Only James Chamberlain (47 not out) stood firm as Street End closed on 221-6.
Sheldwich also have two wins from two after dismissing Elham Valley for 82 on the way to a 95-run victory.
Conner Hicklin top scored with 54 in the Sheldwich total of 177-9 (Will Hilton 39) and he then took centre stage with the ball, returning figures of 5-11 from six overs as Elham were dismissed in 27.1 overs. Ian Hulks claimed 2-21 and Alex Roe 2-16.
Wicketkeeper Jake Smith top scored with 66 to spearhead Ash’s successful run chase against Selling.
He and opening partner Tim Dudgeon (27) gave last year’s runners-up a good platform in reply to Selling’s 154 before Andrew Dunn (20 not out) and Chris Paine (17 not out) saw them home by four wickets. Dudgeon had earlier claimed 3-21 from eight overs, with Tim Smith taking 2-25 from nine and Edward Laslett 2-15 from 5.2.
Defending champions Wingham have two wins – although they have not yet had to bowl a ball with scheduled opponents Street End and Littlebourne both conceding.
Wingham 2nds are among the early leaders in Division 4 after sweeping aside Harrietsham by 103 runs.
Half-centuries from skipper Brandon Tanton (59) and Dave Clipstone (57), backed up by Lewis Caruana’s 36, helped Wingham to 239 and in reply, Bapchild were bowled out for 136.
James Widerstrom took 4-18 in five overs, with Caruana taking 2-13 from seven.
High Halstow conceded against Norton, who join Wingham at the top on 12 points.
A blistering 157 from Alan Carter led Exiles at Stelling Minnis to a matchwinning total of 275 against Division 5 rivals Boughton-under-blean, who played one short.
Carter’s knock included 17 fours and nine sixes and he dominated to such an extent that Dave Atkins (24) and Kevin Hollyhock (23 not out) were the next two highest scorers after extras (28).
Boughton subsided to 83 all out in reply (Keith Waters 27), Hollyhock taking 5-15 from his nine overs and Christian Gosling 2-14 from two.
Harbledown second team opener Henry Roberts was the day’s unuckiest batsman, falling for 99 as his side – playing two short – were dismissed for 144 at Bilsington. Mafujur Rahman (14) was the only other player to make double figures.
Bilsington lost eight wickets in reaching their target, Roberts finishing with 3-29 from six overs and Dave Ridley 3-32 from nine.
Chestfield lost by 34 runs to Hythe Green whose total of 215-4 featured 117 from opener Cameron Emanuel-burns (19 fours, one six).
Chestfield were dismissed for 181 in reply, Paul Gibson hitting 25, Jamie Dowkes 24 and Henry Collins 22.
Littlebourne 2nds conceded against Stockbury.
Opener Jack Fagg’s 77 was in a losing cause for Sturry in Division 6 as they went down by six wickets to Sherwood.
Mark Reynolds (12) was the only other player to reach double figures in a total of 142 but Sherwood lost their top four batsmen at a combined cost of just nine runs before David Jones (73) and Joe Hill (42) saw them home without further loss.
Bob Goddard impressed with 3-13 from eight overs for the losers.