On a dismal day in the famous Tudor village of Chiddingstone, Kemsing skipper, Grahame Wood, lost the toss and Kemsing were batting first on a soft, wet and slow wicket.
However, a watchful first wicket partnership of 46, in very difficult conditions, by the prolific father and son combination of the skipper and 20 year-old Jake, gave the away side a steady base to work from. The quick loss of James Walkling was a brief setback, as one of this season’s new players, Pierre Smit, helped G. Wood add 45, before playing all round a straight delivery.
Enter the experienced Ian Wise, who scored a sensible 23, in adding 62 for the 4th wicket with Wood, who was curbing his natural attacking instincts to construct a crucial innings for his team.
Will Rippon lasted only two balls, undone by the slow wicket, but Vice-Captain, Martin Green, added 21 for the 6th wicket, with Wood, who reached a magnificent century off 122 balls, with fourteen 4’s and one 6. After Wood was out for 106, the lower order batted well, to add a further 24 runs to reach what was an unlikely 217-8 when the innings started.
The Chiddingstone reply faltered almost immediately, as Smit bowled Alex Hanwell with a beauty with the score on 15. However, a superb partnership of 87 between skipper Harry Streatfeild and Stuart Bradley was ended when Roger Shaddock had Streatfeild superbly caught at deep mid-off by veteran Colin Scarsi for 42.
However, Bradley kept going, his innings a mixture of stout defence and judicious hitting. He was kept losing partners at the other end, putting him under pressure to score, until he was 6th man out on 173, for an excellent 74 runs, caught in the deep by skipper Wood off the bowling of Walkling, who had taken off the keeping kit to bowl an excellent four overs.
The required run rate was well beyond the lower order and Kemsing ran out fairly easy winners, by 20 runs, as Chiddingstone finished on 197-6, as the rain, which had been light and occasional during the game, became heavier and more persistent during the final 10 overs.
Kemsing remain clear at the top of Division 3, with a local derby against Shoreham, at home, this weekend.
