Mid-Kent League Match - 46 overs per side

New Ash Green (20 pts) 143-8 (46 overs)
Dartford Halls III (13 pts) 141 all out (45.5)
New Ash Green won by 2 runs.

New Ash Green's home match with Halls had to be switched to Halls due to Jubilee celebrations at New Ash Green, and was a big test of New Ash Green's aspirations to higher status as Halls had only come down from the Kent League due to their merger with Dartford for financial reasons making them technically a third XI. In the end fine all round performances from Vic Mayers and particularly from Andy Cox rescued New Ash Green from potential disaster.

Things had looked good when New Ash Green were invited to bat on what looked like a good wicket in lovely conditions, but New Ash Green soon discovered that things were not quite as they seemed. In fact 'seamed' would have been a better word, as the ball certainly did that for Halls opening bowlers, as well as getting some irregular bounce, and New Ash Green were soon 20-4 as all the top order batsmen who have looked in form so far this season were soon back in the pavilion (or in the case of this ground back sitting on the grass next to the score box.) Halls openers Steve Elson and Nigel Knapp took two wickets each in their opening 6 over spells, but Cox and Vic Mayers saw off the end of those spells and also worked vigilantly against the change bowlers. Although Surge Singh bowled through 12 overs for just 23 runs a few more came at the other end and it wasn't until the openers returned that Mayers finally went for 39 to end a 5th wicket partnership of 93. Cox tried to carry on attacking, running out two partners in the process and was assisted by Andy Stuart who was the only other batsman to reach double figures with 13, but Knapp in particular was very difficult to get away and ended up with figures of 3-17 in 12 overs, with Elson taking 3-50 in 11. Cox ended up unbeaten on 61 and 143-8 was a final total that New Ash Green would definitely have settled for after their poor start.

With Matt Meehan absent this week Andy Cox and Vic Mayers now showed off their bowling skills as they opened the bowling. Both immediately caused the batsmen trouble and although a mixture of stout defence, edges and the occasional putting away of a loose ball carried the opening pair to 24 before Mayers finally struck the wickets started to tumble quickly after that. Cox took 3 in his opening spell of 6 overs and Mayers 2-24 in his 8 overs leaving Halls struggling. Andy Stuart struggled for rhythm but James Hewitt and Ian Shambrook were both economical, Shambrook's figures only being spoilt by a 5 when the ball struck the helmet behind the wicketkeeper, although these should probably have gone down as byes. However unlike some of the other sides New Ash Green have played this season Halls lower order didn't crumble. Hewitt picked up one wicket, and Andy Cox another as he came back for a second 4 over spell, but the runs kept coming and Halls never fell far behind the asking rate. Their captain Nigel Knapp struck some powerful shots at number 9 before Shambrook (1-30 in 12) removed him in his last over to leave the score at 110-8, but even then there was plenty of resistance left. Greg Dassranth had been batting very sensibly at number 6, and in the 43rd over he took 9 runs off Andy Stuart to leave just 6 needed from the last three overs. Andy Cox bowled the 44th over, his last, and on the 4th ball Dassranth went back to pull a shortish ball which didn't bounce much and he was bowled for 38. Andy Cox had two balls at the number 11, Steve Elson, but he survived them looking very comfortable and Cox was finished with 5-25 in his 12 overs. Now New Ash Green took a big gamble, bringing on Andy Payne to bowl an over of left arm spin for the 45th over, and it paid off as he kept things reasonably tight to concede just 3 singles. With Cox finished a 4th different bowler in 4 overs was needed for the final over, with three needed and the last pair at the crease. James Hewitt is not known for lack of self-confidence, and he bowled on the spot from the start. The first two balls produced fine stops in the covers from Simon Duke, both giving rise to potential run outs, in particular the 1st ball when the batsmen were up and down like yo-yos and both could have been run out by direct hits before eventually a dot went in the score book. The third ball was a full toss which just dipped low enough to avoid being a no ball and the batsman missed. The 4th ball was pulled low but very gently to mid-wicket, where New Ash Green captain Andy Stuart managed to put down a relatively simple catch, but still no runs scored. With it now being impossible to win with singles the batsman went for a big hit next ball and missed. Steve Hurst whipped the bails off, the umpires finger went up and New Ash Green's celebrations began.

A terrific match, which had almost everything, which maintains New Ash Green's perfect start to the season, but shows that they still have a lot of work to do to win the title, starting with a repeat match at Halls next week.

Downend & Bellingham II v New Ash Green II
Saturday 1st June 2002

Kent League Match - 100 overs

New Ash Green (4 pts) 153 all out (50 overs)
Down & Bell (16 pts) 156-5 (42.1 overs)
Down & Bell won by 5 wickets.

Full match report when Pete Burke gets back to work, but the score card is available below. New Ash Green seem to have managed their most consistent batting performance of the season, though still without any single big contribution. This time though the bowling has not rescued them, Pete Burke finally having a poor game and the back up bowling seems to have been hit around, despite Micky Sumner's best efforts.

Mr. Burke having been rather busy at work his report has now been received 2 weeks late, hence a certain amount of ironic prescience in his final comments...:

On a beautiful summers day over Jubilee weekend, New Ash Green finally succumbed. Whilst the batting performed marginally better than normal in scoring 153 all out in 50 overs (Darren Phillips top scoring with 41), this time the bowling could not rescue them. Mick Sumner did his best with a commendable spell of 3 for 35 off 15.1, but the luck finally ran out for Pete Burke, as he was unable to sustain his wicket taking run. D & B reached their target for the loss of 5 wickets with almost 8 overs to spare. First defeat of the season for New Ash Green - no doubt they will come back strong next week! 

Sherwood II v New Ash Green III
Saturday 1st June 2002

Friendly Match - 40 overs per side

New Ash Green III 186-4
Sherwood II 190-3
Sherwood won by 7 wickets.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, New Ash Green began well with Duncan Shannon (68 off 81 balls) and Keiron Hoddinott (55* off 99 balls) putting on 103 for the second wicket before Shannon was stumped off a head high full toss! A further stand of 53 between Graham Hampsheir (33 off 26 balls) and Hoddinott meant New Ash Green chalked up a respectable 186 for 4 from their 40 overs.

Sherwood were always up with the required run rate and New Ash Green's bowlers struggled to make a breakthrough, this did come eventually however when Keiron Hoddinott took a sharp return catch off his own bowling. Wickets were few and far between but with five runs required off the final three balls, Matt Pennell bowled Woolett. This brought in 13 year old Mee, needing 5 off 2!.....Pennell charges in...the tension immense as Pennell bowls....its a long hop...its carted over mid wicket....its a four!....1 needed....1 ball left...Pennell's in....oh for god's sake its another four!

Sherwood win by 7 wickets, but its been a fantastic game and I didn't even mention the catch Hoddinott dropped! 

New Ash Green v Selling
Sunday 2nd June

Kent Village League Match - 40 overs per side - max. 9 overs per bowler

Selling (0 pts) 65 all out (25.1 overs)
New Ash Green (6 pts) 66-5 (28.1 overs)
New Ash Green won by 5 wickets.

Having fought their way through the debris of jubilee celebrations and the hordes of 'football supporters' following England's game against Sweden the two teams were pleased to get out into the relative peace and quiet of the middle and get this match under way. Smarden weren't so pleased with the wicket, however, which tended to keep very low. New Ash Green's opening bowlers Mick Sumner and 14 year old Robin Wills went for only 12 runs between them in the opening 9 overs and the bowling changes brought wickets rather than relief. As batsman after batsman insisted on playing back rather than forward a succession of 'bowled's and 'LBW's went into the book, broken only by a run out as one batsman was so panicked by the pitch that he hit the ball straight to Neil Howick and unwisely tried to take a run. Paul Sumner took 4-13 in 5 overs and Keith Bushell 3-13 in 7. At 31-7 the game looked like being very short, but Selling's number 9 Jerry Gower flung the bat at Olly Harding's spin to comfortably be their top scorer with 28 before being last out to give Olly figures of 2-21 and take the total to a marginally more respectable 65.

Selling's bowling turned out to be rather better suited to the conditions than their batting, and after hitting a crunching 4 in the first over Neil Howick was soon out and was followed next ball by Robin Wills. The bowler, Tim Gower, wasted the hat-trick ball but went on to bowl a tidy 9 over spell and take 3-18, figures only spoiled by Christian Hoddinott taking two fours from him in one over. Alex Loveard also took two wickets in two balls to remove Darren Phillips and Micky Sumner, but he did occasionally become frustrated and try to bang in a bouncer, not an effective option on this wicket and a ball which was usually punished. Matthew Quantrill found the pitch and situation well suited to his style as he came forward well to almost every ball, nudged 1's and 2's and occasionally punished the loose ball. At 38 -5 he was joined by John Harding and the pair put on 28 for the sixth wicket, not without alarms, before bringing up New Ash Green's first Kent Village League win with a leg bye. Quantrill ended up with 32*, the only batsman to reach double figures.