New Ash Green (10 points) 164 all out (44.3 overs)
Betteshanger (20 points) 165-7 (46.1 overs)
New Ash Green lost by 3 wickets

Having the luxury of an umpire and a toss wasn't much help to New Ash Green, as they lost it and were asked to bat first. Matthew Quantrill and Ian Martin stuck resolutely to an end each, and Quantrill used the pace to attack Andrew McNicholas, making a fairly brisk 25 before being bowled, while Martin was much steadier, anchoring the first half of the innings on his way to 54. The middle order, though, failed to fire and it wasn't till Vic Mayers came in at number 8 and made 28 that Martin found someone to stay with him. They added 53 for the seventh wicket and took the score to 130 before a flurry of wickets looked to have brought the innings to a premature end. David Baker and Paul Sumner had other ideas, though, both playing with carefully controlled aggression as they added 26 for the last wicket in good time, and it was only a full length diving catch to remove Baker that ended their partnership before the overs ran out.

A total of 164 was a defendable one, and as in the away game at Betteshanger New Ash Green had an early breakthrough when Andy Mayers removed Liam Collins, who had made an unbeaten 94 in that game, with his second ball. Micky Sumner again beat the bat regularly without taking wickets, but Mayers continued his superb recent bowling form, removing the top three batsmen and (crucially as it turned out) having the number 4 dropped first ball. When Mayers and Sumner came off after 12 overs each Betteshanger were well behind the asking rate, and with Lee Saunders taking an early wicket as well the pressure continued to mount. However the reprieved Joffy Towe batted soundly, and although Vic Mayers took one wicket the next few overs proved to be the turning point. Mark McNicholas took on the task of trying to accelerate, and in quick succession skimmed one over the keepers head, was dropped from a mis-hit at square leg and was then dropped on the boundary. Thus encouraged he made a rapid 32, and although Lee Saunders returned to bowl him with a beauty the damage was done. Paul Sumner picked up one more wicket to keep Betteshanger sweating to the end, but with the help of a couple more missed chances they were able to win from the first ball of the 47th over, a bonus over they had earned themselves by dint of their own good catching. It showed once again that New Ash Green can be competitive when they have something close to a full strength side, giving the champions elect a massive scare, but also showed again how much more they could do if they could improve their fielding at key moments.

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Hartley (19 points) 231-7 (46 overs)
New Ash Green (3 points) 102-8 (46 overs)
New Ash Green lost by 129 runs

Also with the rare luxury of an umpire New Ash Green won the toss and elected to bowl first. They started solidly enough, but missed a chance to remove Chris Turvey who went on to make 102. Graeme Poole and Keith Bushell picked up 2 wickets apiece, but some lower order hitting, particularly from Louis Cooper spoiled their figures somewhat. There was a useful debut spell from Martin Bartlett, and two run outs was testimony to the effort in the field.

Dan Lewsey and Matt Bushe provided solidity at the top of the order, but there was no injection of pace to come and New Ash Green never threatened the Hartley total. Karl Bartlett top scored with 20, and had a decent partnership with his dad, who showed further promise in scoring 10, and Graeme Poole and Keith Bushell saw out the innings, depriving Hartley of maximum bonus points, a factor which may turn out to be critical. It drops them to third place in the table, and although the top two sides are playing each other the threatening weather may mean equal points all round and Hartley missing promotion by that one critical point. Good news for next season for those who like their away games local!

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New Ash Green 203-3 dec. (45 overs)
East Malling 55 all out (30.4 overs)
New Ash Green won by 148 runs

A routine Sunday game – the side batting first racks up a big score, the side batting second collapses to heavy defeat, the slight twist on the tale being that it was New Ash Green having a rare go at batting first on a Sunday. With a slightly stronger than average Sunday side John Harley had been prepared to break the habit of a lifetime and choose to bat first, but in the end he didn't have to make the decision as he lost the toss and was inserted. Against a decent enough pair of opening bowlers Matthew Quantrill and John Harding were steady enough, and having seen off the openers were looking on for a big stand before Harding strained a calf muscle and had to retire hurt on 16. Quantrill was joined by David Baker, batting with increasing confidence just as the season comes to a close, but for the second day in a row he was unlucky to be well caught when a pull went straight back to the bowler, who held on to a low one handed catch in his follow through. Graeme Poole was solid enough as Quantrill pushed on a bit, and they added 37 for the second wicket before Poole was caught in the covers, and Quantrill was joined by Lee Saunders. He played himself in nicely while Quantrill continued to score, and then the roles were reversed as Quantrill lost his timing a bit on the dry wicket while Saunders launched an intelligent attack, choosing his shots and adjusting to the field changes to show his range of shots. They had put on 88, of which Saunders had made 44, before he holed out to the returning opening bowler, and Matt Bushe joined Quantrill in seeing Quantrill to his century and the total past 200. With his hundred under his belt Quantrill gave most of the strike to Bushe at the end, but he resolutely refused to take any risks despite barracking from the sidelines, and finished with 6* in a final total of 203-3.

It was a good score, but with East Malling seeming to have a number of fit athletic looking fielders New Ash Green were by no means confident that it was a winning one. They got off to the best of starts, though, when John Harley bowled his opposite number with the first ball of the innings, and things didn't get any better for East Malling in the next few overs as Harley and Dan Lewsey destroyed the top order. Every attempt at an attacking shot seemed to go in the air to a fielder, and when they attempted a quick single Lee Saunders swooped and hit a single stump to leave the batsman stranded by a few yards. By the time the openers were removed from the attack after 7 overs each East Malling were in disarray on 18-6, Harley 3-10 and Lewsey 2-5 with 5 maidens. Simon Freeman then bowled probably the best spell of his fledgling spin career, taking 2-9 in 8.4 overs, also including 5 maidens, while Kieran Poole kept up his golden arm reputation by taking 2-18 in six overs which could charitably be called variable. James Porter was given the chance to qualify for the bowling averages, but in the crudest of double entendres, he just couldn't get it up, being no balled two or three times for multiple bounces and somehow ending up with 0-6 from two overs without conceding a run off the bat. The game ended with several overs to spare when John Harding took a second stumping off Freeman when the last pair for East Malling had begun to look as if they were going to determinedly block out for a very dull draw, and credit must also go to David Baker, acting as something of a ball magnet at point and taking four catches much to his delight.

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