Mid-Kent League Match - 46 overs per side

New Ash Green (20 pts) won
Paddock Wood (-5 pts) conceded
Paddock Wood could not raise a team.

Catford Cyphers II v New Ash Green II
Saturday 13th July 2002

Kent League Match - 100 overs

New Ash Green 147 all out (48.4 overs)
Catford Cyphers 108 all out (24.5 overs)
New Ash Green won by 39 runs.

For the third match in a row New Ash Green were up against a previously unbeaten side, Cyphers now having the only unbeaten record left in the league with 9 wins and 1 winning draw. The wicket at Catford looked in superb condition, and with 2 players still struggling through the South London traffic Pete Burke had no hesitation in batting when he won the toss. The wicket soon proved that appearances can be deceptive in what is now apparently the wettest two year period on record in Britain as there was plenty of movement in the air and off the pitch as well as some variable bounce. Nonetheless initially New Ash Green seemed steady enough before Darren Phillips played across a straight ball, Matthew Quantrill tickled one down the leg side and John Harding was the first of several batsmen on the day to be aggrieved to be judged LBW, in his case to a ball that seemed a touch high. Vaughan John and Matt Payne turned things round, taking heavy toll of Matthew Brown as he lost his line and length and taking runs off Hasan Khan Mamand who had started with 2-0 in his first 5 maiden overs, forcing a change of bowling. When Payne was eventually out for 25, John was joined by the 2nd XI's form batsman Gary Browning and if somewhat riding his luck on occasions with some skyers which the fielders were slow to pick out he was able to continue his run scoring streak. Vaughan John was the most controversial LBW of all for 25, the edge onto his pads being audible from the pavilion, but Browning carried on to make 36 and some late hitting, particularly from Mick Sumner, took the score eventually to a respectable 147.

Against most sides New Ash Green would have fancied their chances of defending this sort of score, but a side who have scored over 200 several times in a league where scoring more than 3 an over is generally frowned upon as excessively exuberant were likely to prove more of a test. Pete Burke struck early to remove one opener, but this only brought in Dale Becker and he immediately started hitting well, particularly to anything on his legs. The score started to mount rapidly and it soon became obvious the match was not going to be a draw. Mick Sumner bowled Richard McCaughin with the score in the 60's (exact fall of wickets isn't recorded unless Gill Bushell can supply me with that information) with his magnificent chinaman, completely deceiving the batsman who wondered off looking utterly bewildered, but Burke was struggling for direction still, and against a batsman so strong off his legs this was a failing which was being heavily punished. Using all his authority as captain Burke insisted on a change of ends, much to Sumner's disgust, and this cost more runs as Kieran Hoddinott's one over spell to allow the change of ends went for 14 runs. However once the bowlers settled down into their rhythm at the new ends the game turned around. From apparently cruising to victory at 80-2 with more than 35 overs to go Cyphers began to crumble. An outstanding one handed slip catch from Matt Payne started the rot, and with both bowlers now much more accurate and giving him less on his legs Becker was slowed down. Despite having plenty of time remaining this seemed to worry him and unable to score on the leg side he seemed to become obsessed with taking a run on the off side, hitting the ball straight to Matthew Quantrill in the covers and taking a run that would have been dodgy if Sharad Bawdekar had been the cover fielder, leaving his unimpressed batting partner stranded several yards out. With Burke and Sumner both now right on the spot the wickets continued to fall and when John Harding clung onto an edge at the third attempt to remove Becker for 46 the game seemed all over despite the amount of time remaining. When Cyphers' skipper Jasper Gundry-White picked off a boundary New Ash Green were reminded that it wasn't yet in the bag, but Micky Sumner bowled him in the next over and shortly afterwards Pete Burke finished the game off, appropriately with an LBW decision with which the batsman was not impressed. Sumner, who bowled immaculately throughout, finished with 5-23, Burke with 4-59 and with mostly teams in the lower half left to play New Ash Green now have a strong chance of promotion for the 2nd year in succession.

Holmesdale III v New Ash Green III
Saturday 13th July 2002

Central League Match - 40 overs per side

Holmesdale III 228 all out (40 overs)
New Ash Green III 229-4? (32 overs)
New Ash Green III won by 6 wickets.

In the absence of skipper Graham Hampsheir this week the following report has been received from Andy Stuart:

I watched the last few overs and pieced together the days events, so here goes:

The battle of the leagues two bottom teams was of a surprisingly high
standard and turned into something of a run feast on a good batting
track. Adolphe lost the toss and the hosts chose to bat and scored
quickly without much problem off of the opening attack of Robin Wills
and Vic Mayers.

Holmesdale batting was amazingly strong for the bottom of the league team as they made 228 all out in their 40 overs with Oliver Harding taking 3 wickets, Chris Hoddinott taking 2, Andy Mayers 1 and with 4 run outs doing the damage as Adolphe tried as many as 7 bowlers as he battled to contain the Holmesdale batsman. Captain Adolphe who guaranteed a victory and even went as far as saying he wouldn't be coming back with anything less than a victory looked a broken man at tea having conceded more than double the score he was anticipating. In fact he was seen checking out the Sevenoaks property pages as his promise not to come back without a victory looked like it might come back to haunt him!

However, he needn't have worried as Andy Mayers (58) absolutely tore into the Holmesdale attack as he and Chris Hoddinott put on 99 for the first wicket in 13 overs, although it must be said Chris Hoddinott had 15 when Andy was dismissed! With Mayers junior departed Chris Hoddinott picked up the pace and despite losing Oliver Harding for 4, soon rattled up a stylish 60 before departing to bring Vic Mayers out to join James Oliver at the crease. The run rate was never a problem despite losing Oliver for just 2 Vic Mayers (23*) carried on the charge with Adolphe (22*) getting in on the act both smashing huge 6's to bring up the required total in just 32 overs (although extra's played their part as well)!

The Holmesdale players looked shell shocked as they came off, having seemed sure that 228 was enough to defend against a team that had previously lost every game this season. The Holmesdale skipper seemed particularly surprised that the two Mayers were languishing in the NAG third team, though I assured him they would be considered for promotion this weekend!

New Ash Green v Holborough Valley II
Sunday 14th July

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

New Ash Green (5 pts) 151 all out
Holborough Valley II (1 pt) 141 all out
New Ash Green won by 10 runs.

After winning the toss New Ash Green decided to bat on what looked to be the first wicket of the season to be batting friendly, plus Andy Payne had stated that he would walk out if Phillips decided to field first in that heat.

NAG lost the early wickets of Andy Mayers (4), who must have used all of his form up on Saturday, Duncan Shannon (1), who kept his 100% run out record up in the Sunday league and skipper Phillips (0), who bagged his second duck of the weekend leaving New Ash Green 35-3. It was left to Dominic Adolphe to start hitting himself back into form with 44 of 51 balls. Andy Payne scored his highest Sunday league score with 15 before trying to pull a pearoller. At this point New Ash Green were 78 for 5 from 21 overs. Its was lucky they had a long batting line up with Rob Jansen making a well crafted 26 and the always entertaining Charlie Duguid hitting a quick fire 19 in a partnership of 38. Kieron Hoddinott scored 15 not out with Keith Bushell smashing 19 from 18 balls. It left New Ash Green with a score of 151 to defend.

Andy Mayers bowled well keeping the batsmen in check with his pace but he failed to pick up any wickets. Keith Bushell bowled his overs straight
through finishing with 9-0-28-2. It was only opener Blackman (55) who
troubled New Ash Green's bowling but with introduction of discarded 2nd team bowler Kieron Hoddinott wickets fell at regular intervals with Kieron picking up 5 wickets for 30 from 9 overs which could have been 7 if not for a dropped caught and bowled chance and a drop behind the stumps. Oli Harding bowled well picking up a wicket and keeping the top order in check finishing with 8-0-31-1. With Holbrough Valley needing 31 from five overs with two wickets left it seemed it would be close and with New Ash Green having a shortage of bowlers the left arm spin of Domonic Adolphe was required. After 2.3 overs of Adolphe spin the game was up with him bowling the number 10 and then taking a return catch from the number 11. New Ash Green had won their second game of the season.