Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th May
Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th May
Kent Regional Cricket League - 46 Overs per side
Seenoaks Vine Conceded
A difficult build up to the start of the league season left New Ash Green contemplating having to cancel the 2nd XI game, but Thursday brought a bit of luck in the shape of Sevenoaks Vine conceding the first team game, and a perfect 20 points to start the season off with. Something to build on....
Cancelled
So, with the first team game off New Ash Green could contemplate putting out a decent strength second XI against Sheppy, but come the morning of the game and persistent light rain persisted, so the long trip to the not so sunny holiday island was abandoned and the game was off.
Friendly Match - 35 overs
East Malling 205-6 (35 overs)
New Ash Green 206-7 (34.1 overs)
New Ash Green won by 3 wickets
Playing, for a reason unknown to the writer, a 35 over game, East Malling chose to bat first. Initially they were contained by John Harley, with a welcome season's debut for Adam Reeves at the other end. Joe Elisak also bowled tidily and he and Harley picked up the first three wickets before the middle order picked up the pace. Ryan McKivett, Ryan Harley and Dan Lewsey were all expensive, but Ryan Harley did become the third under 13 this season to pick up a wicket on his debut, and Lewsey also got a wicket as did the returning Reeves to ensure the total didn't get totally out of hand.
Of course almost any total seems within reach when Scott McKechnie is playing on a Sunday, and he didn't disappoint, racing to his fifty within the first six overs. When he was eventually caught he had made 112 out of the 133 for the first wicket, and extras had made most of the rest – Dan Lewsey being on 7 at the time! There was still plenty of work to be done, though, and the most improved player of the season so far, Karl Bartlett, set about doing it, making 26 and adding 20 for the 3rd wicket with Joe Elisak and 28 for the 4th with Chris Sooknanan, who scored 17. There was a little wobble as those two plus Phil Markham fell in quick succession, but the Harley brothers and Adam Reeves finished the game off from the first ball of the final over to notch up a memorable win.