Mid-Kent League Match - 46 overs per side

New Ash Green (19 pts) 235-8 (46 overs)
Tonbridge (4 pts) 125-8 (46 overs)
New Ash Green won by 100 runs.

Forecast rain did not arrive this week, at least not in quantity, and the result was the best batting pitch New Ash Green have played on this season in the league. Having been inserted New Ash Green's batsmen wanted to take advantage of the conditions and for the most part succeeded. Matthew Quantrill gave a demonstration of what the Americans might call 'batting ugly', working his way to 81 without ever really timing the ball well by grafting, improvising and disrupting the bowlers with footwork. He was dropped three times, scored a 4 with his trademark reverse slog and pulled the spinner Peter French for six over backward square leg by stepping across well outside off stump before eventually giving Tonbridge such an easy catch they couldn't refuse it. Together with Quantrill Andy Mayers (26) added 62 for the 1st wicket, Andy Payne (14) added 55 for the 2nd and Marc Klus (19) put on 48 for the third. After Quantrill was out Klus added his own huge six over the sightscreen and Vic Mayers (23) and Andy Cox (20*) kept the score mounting rapidly right to the end. Only Andy Stuart with his second golden duck in successive days missed out.

Tonbridge set off with aggressive intent in face of such a big total, but struggled to cope with the pace and hostility of Matt Meehan and Andy Cox. Meehan removed both openers before a backstrain removed him from the attack with 2-11 in 5.2 overs while Cox eventually ended up with 2-19 in 12. With Andy Stuart keeping up the pace attack with 3-16 Tonbridge were reduced to 36-6 and the match was effectively over as a contest. From here on they dug in and batted sensibly aiming simply to try and get some bonus points. Hugh Topham and Peter French put on 66 for the 8th wicket, and although James Hewitt finally removed French for 15 with his last ball to finish with 1-23 in 10, Topham survived to the end to be 50*, New Ash Green couldn't get maximum points and Tonbridge didn't make it even to the first bonus batting point! New Ash Green missed some difficult chances, but the pitch was good enough that sensible batting without taking any risks was very difficult to beat and the bowlers were unable to tempt the batsmen into errors.

Sidcup II v New Ash Green II
Saturday 22nd June 2002

Kent League Match - 100 overs

Sidcup 130 all out (48.1 overs)
New Ash Green (16 pts) 131-5 (35.2 overs)
New Ash Green won by 5 wickets.

New Ash Green went into this game on the back of three straight defeats, and without their captain and opening bowler Pete Burke, so with some last minute drop outs things didn't look good - New Ash Green were fielding possibly their weakest league side of the season so far.

Sidcup automatically lost the toss as they could not provide an umpire and on a very green wicket were asked to bat by stand in captain Mick Sumner. With the loss of Pete Burke, Matt Scanlan opened the bowling with Sumner, and after nine overs Sidcup were 8 for 2, Scanlan taking both wickets in an excellent opening spell. At the start of game New Ash Green looked very short on bowling and some experimentation was necessary. Enter the Hoddinott (Kieron). With the ball still very shiny he began to frustrate the batsmen with his annoying pace, swing and seam movement. At the other end, Sidcup were finding runs very difficult to come by. Mick Sumner finishing his spell with figures of 2 for 24 off 16 overs and being replaced by Sharad Bawdekar who was bowling brilliantly. Hoddinott was still causing problems at the other end and after bowling 18 overs he ended up with 3 wickets for 72 runs. Sharad took 3 excellent wickets included Sidcup's no. 7 bat, who the previous week scored 100 in ten overs! Sidcup were eventually bowled out for only 130, this was a great performance by the whole team who's fielding, catching & bowling were excellent throughout.

With an addition to the top order New Ash Green opened the batting with John Harding and 'ringer' Gary Browning. Although on paper 130 looked easily gettable New Ash Green hadn't achieved that score in their previous three games! So when the two openers passed 50 without the loss of any wickets we were all very optimistic. Harding was caught at deep mid wicket for a patient 16 but at the other end Browning was looking very comfortable, dispatching Sidcup's openers to all parts of the ground (although the majority were edges)!! Vaughan John joined Browning in the middle and still the runs flowed from both batsmen with John looking particularly good. These two batsmen took New Ash Green to within touching distance of Sidcup's total before Browning was given out LBW trying to finish the game in style for an excellent 76, making him the first 2nd XI batsman to pass 50 all season! John followed Browning the next over. New Ash Green still needed 5 to win and when Geoff Shannon was bowled first ball we feared the trademark middle order collapse. Robin Wills followed Geoff four balls later, getting bowled for a duck. Luckily we had Darren Phillips going in at number 7 to steady the ship, and between him and Duncan Shannon the last few runs were knocked off to earn New Ash Green an excellent win. Great credit should go to the whole team who all performed brilliantly throughout the day.

Old Anchorians v New Ash Green
Sunday 23rd June

Friendly Match

New Ash Green 147 for 8 declared
Old Anchorians 148 for 6
Old Anchorians won by 4 wickets.

In a game shortened after confusion about the venue, New Ash Green's innings was held together by Duncan Shannon (32), who shared a 3rd-wicket partnership of 62 with Oliver Harding, and Matt Pennell (24). Sam Wilson also had a memorable afternoon, scoring runs in adult cricket (9 n.o.)

Old Anchorians reached the target with two overs to spare, helped by two dropped catches in their opening stand of 80. Matt Pennell (0-32) bowled a sharp and disciplined spell without luck. The wickets went to Lyle Ellard (1-40), Oliver Harding (2-56) and Keir Wilson (1-21) - his first victim in senior cricket. There were also two run-outs, Charles Duguid combining with Brian Taylor and Duncan Shannon making a direct hit.

The friendliest of friendlies, both teams joining to set up the field unexpectedly at New Ash Green - and special thanks to Darren Phillips for mustering teas at zero notice.