Kent Cricket League Premier 1st XI: Sevenoaks Vine (279-8) beat Blackheath (203 all out)
There was a good opportunity for the Vine first team to gain ground at the top of the Premier League, playing league leaders Blackheath and it was on the back of an excellent all-round team performance that they pulled off a well-deserved victory by 76 runs on home turf.
The Vine won the toss and elected to bat on a scorching day in front of a decent crowd. With the outfield burnt and extremely fast the Vine notched up 279 for 8 in their 50 overs, around about par. Vine batsmen were in decent form with good contributions from Luke Schlemmer who hit 86 off 84 balls and Miles Richardson who reached 74 in good time backed up by Mike Barber (38) and Evert Bekker (36).
Blackheath would have to bat well to overtake the Vine score but impressively tidy bowling and slick fielding pressurised the visitors who at no point were ahead on the run rate. Great figures for Karl Pearson who bowled 10 overs off the reel at the top of the Blackheath innings taking 2 for 38 and this opened the way for the spinners to dominate. Another top performance from Andrew Reid-Dick who also took 2 for 38 off his 10 overs and especially decent figures from Michael Thompson who took 4 for 32 off his 8.3 overs. Great credit to the Vine county player, Adam Rose who bagged 4 difficult catches and Miles Richardson for a special run-out to dismiss the dangerous Jahid Ahmed before he had faced a ball.
Having now won 3 consecutive matches the Vine need to take momentum forward next week to an away fixture at Lordswood.
Premier 2nd XI: Holmesdale 2nd (215 all out) lost to Sevenoaks Vine 2nd (272-7)
After a disappointing abandoned fixture earlier in the season, the Sevenoaks Derby was set for a thrilling affair with both teams looking to win the bragging rights.
The Vine won the toss and elected to bat first looking to amend last week’s performance. After losing Durell early on, Adams and White settled in on a good batting track finding the boundary often until Adams was judged out for 29. Quinney (42) and White (110) then made one of the best partnerships all season of 120 runs. Contributions in the last 10 overs by Procter (19) and P Robinson (20) brought the Vine to 272-7. However, the stand out performance by White with a fantastic hundred hitting 16 boundaries who never looked uncomfortable against the Holmesdale bowlers.
With a big total to chase, Holmesdale came out the blocks flying in first few overs, until opening bowlers Carslaw and P Robinson began to find their areas both picking up a wicket each in their opening spell. Shortly followed was a flurry of wickets by H Robinson gaining his best figures this season of 3-24. Holmesdale then slowly began to rebuild their innings pressurising the Vine bowlers; Procter then turned the game on its head with two wickets in two deliveries, both of which crashed into leg stump. Christie bowled his best spell in a Vine shirt to date proving to be the most difficult to get away on a flat pitch but was incredibly unfortunate not to take any wickets. With Coldman finding another wicket, Holmesdale tail began to wag needing 90 from the last 10 overs. An outstanding run out by Quinney finished Holmesdale off with the last two wickets to fall in quick succession left Holmesdale 57 runs short.
This leaves the Vine in 7th as they look to rise the table once again versus Lordswood next Saturday.
Kent Regional Cricket League 2A Central: Upchurch 3rd (181-4) beat Sevenoaks Vine 3rd (140 all out)
The 3s travelled to Upchurch with on paper the strongest side they have put out this year. Having lost the toss and having to field first, James Boudville lifted the mood by yorking one of the openers third ball.
Upchurch rallied as Phillips and McLeanan added 80 before James White deceived Phillips with a slower ball. Tight bowling from the Vine bowlers particularly Coleman, Marshall and Williams restricted the run rate before Mike Martin picked up a couple of wickets and Upchurch finished on 181-4. With a fast outfield and a good batting wicket the total looked too few.
However, after a bright start from White (34) the innings was cleverly strangled by Upchurch’s slower bowlers. Guy Bevan-Thomas made 23 but couldn’t accelerate and McNicholas, Peters, Boudville and Marshall all fell trying to up the run rate.
Eventually the Vine were all out 140 and left frustrated at a game that got away. The 3rd XI currently sit three points below Holcombe and Blue Bell Hill CC in the relegation zone, looking to bounce back and avoid a relegation dog fight by beating Lordswood at Orchard Field this weekend.
