Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th June
Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th June
Kent Regional Cricket League - 46 Overs per side
New Ash Green (4pts) 79 all out (38 overs)
Southfleet (20 pts) 81-3 (18.2 overs)
New Ash Green lost by 7 wickets
With both teams playing the top team in their division it would have been a good weekend to have everyone available, but sadly it was not to be. The teams roughly divided into the young and the crocked, but both were well below the strength they would have liked. A further similarity was that both sides lost the toss and were spared being hit around the ground by the damp pitches and a desire to get the games over and watch England's world cup match in the evening. For the first team it was yet again a promising start against bowling that was far removed from top of the table teams in seasons past, but in this case it was the distinctly rippled wicket that caused problems. The bounce was very variable, which made shot making something of a lottery, although there were a good selection of bad balls available to play shots to. A promising first wicket stand was ended when extra bounce caused Matthew Quantrill to be caught for 21, and after that only Joe Elisak made it to double figures, playing a very solid innings of 26 not out and finally looking as promising in a match as he has done in the nets. The rest fell to a variety of poor shots, the bounce and poor running or good fielding, with the final score being 79.
Given the wicket that didn't look too poor a score, and had Andy Mayers or Mick Sumner been available to open the bowling Southfleet would have been asked a few questions. Their batsmen proved to be good ball strikers, though, and with the slower pace of the bowling on offer they picked off the loose balls, of which there were too many, with more confidence than New Ash Green had been able to do. Just as they seemed to be cruising to a ten wicket win, though, Matt Lemon popped up with a good catch above his head on the boundary. Lemon was then given his chance with the ball, and responded with an excellent, if short, spell, swinging the ball in and being the first bowler on either side to trouble the batsmen other than through the bounce. He picked up two successive wicket maidens, and although it was too late by then to affect the result he ensured that some bonus points were picked up and that New Ash Green ended the game with a spring in their step.
Scorecard
Current League Table
Kent Regional Cricket League - 46 Overs per side
New Ash Green (1 pt) 31 all out [21.5 overs)
Hollingbourne (20 pts) 32-1 (4.3 overs)
New Ash Green lost by 9 wickets
The second team fared even less well, and had less excuse as the pitch played well after morning rolling. They should have had some batting, but no one reached double figures, Mark Chapelhow top scoring with 9. From 21-2 they managed to lose their last 8 wickets for 10 runs, though Ryan McKivett and Edward Quantrill did both manage their first runs in senior cricket along the way.
Defending 31 made it difficult to give many people a bowl, and Hollingbourne weren't going to hang about. John Harley managed to pick up a wicket to ensure New Ash Green weren't pointless, but by half way through the fifth over it was all over, and many of the team had time to head over to Southfleet and watch the end of the first team game before the football in the evening.
Scorecard
Current League Table
Friendly Match - Proper Cricket
New Ash Green 225-7 dec. (40.5 overs)
Dartford Town 134 all out (29.3 overs)
New Ash Green won by 91 runs
Dartford Town promised to be stronger this year than last, and so they were, but John Harley was still confident enough to depart from his usual practice and bat first on winning the toss. Dave Harley accompanied Scott McKechnie, and as usual McKechnie was away to a flyer. Dave Harley also batted well, with a few good blows before being caught for 16 to end an opening stand of 89. Mark Chapelhow actually managed half the runs in the next partnership, making 15, and McKechnie then accelerated towards his century. He did survive two remarkable misses, one skyer going straight up could have been caught by several fielders, but they left it to the keeper who inexplicably managed not to lay a glove on it. Shortly afterwards he spooned a drive gently back to the bowler, who managed to put it down, but almost immediately got revenge by having him stumped for 110. Bradley Lonergan and Matthew Quantrill then comfortably took the score past 200 and there was just time for Phil Markham, Ryan Harley and Edward Quantrill to have cameo innings before the declaration.
Set 226 to win in 80 minutes plus twenty overs, and with New Ash Green's bowling somewhat inexperienced after the opening pair, Dartford looked to have a chance, and the way opener Matt Parker tucked into Dan Lewsey (about 25 runs off his first 8 balls) it looked for a moment as if New Ash Green might have declared too early. Good though his eye was, though, Parker couldn't keep hitting them cleanly and he missed and was stumped for 30. There were still plenty more who looked as if they could bat, but they all managed to mix good looking shots with careless ones, mainly against John Harley who took 5-37 in his opening 8 overs. With Lewsey picking up another Dartford were reduced to 76-7 before getting the chance to take on the change bowling, although their captain Sam MacNeil was still in and looking a sound bat. In fact Simon Freeman (after a couple of rusty looking balls to start) and Ryan Harley bowled well enough that the batsmen couldn't really mount a run chase, but they weren't getting out either, and the 8th wicket pair had added 56 by the time Harley had completed his spell and given way to Edward Quantrill. This brought the breakthrough, though, with Jarrett pinned in front of his stumps, and the end followed quickly with Freeman getting his first wicket of the season in the next over and Quantrill wrapping matters up by bowling MacNeil for the top score of 40.