Unfortunately, unless you happened to be due to be playing at the bottom end of the County, there were very few matches completed in the KCL.
The only Prem game - Sandwich v Holmesdale - had a dramatic finish. Sandwich, with Grant Stewart (batted at 7 for half a dozen but didn't bowl) in their ranks, posted 270. In reply, Holmesdale were always in the hunt thanks to a stand of 155 between Will Harby (72) and NZ overseas Leo Carter who was still at the crease with 4 needed off the final ball of the match. Carter managed just 2 so Sandwich won by just a single run and he ended up 134 not out.
In the newly named second tier, The Championship, two games took place.
Whitstable hosted Bromley with the visitors, having been inserted, making 247 thanks in the main to 91 from Richard Selvey-Clinton. Whitstable chased the target down with 8 overs to spare chiefly due to the efforts of hard hitting Byron Gould who finished on 125 not out off 109 balls.
I was with Bickley Park at Canterbury who were asked to bat by the hosts. A bad start at 7-2 and 39-3 was rectified over time with Bickley reaching 220-9 off their 50 overs. Canterbury were never out of it but ended up 22 runs short. In hindsight, one or two of the Canterbury batsmen will probably regret the shots they got out to given that there were still half a dozen overs to go when their innings was ended. That said, it was a slow, sticky wicket where it was possible to score runs but equally easy to get out as reflected by the fact that no less than 13 players in the game reached 17 but no one posted more than 42. Lessons to be learned all round, including by Seb who gave it up having reached 25. though his next job at hand (literally) is to get his somewhat swollen thumb sorted, an injury resulting from a drop diving at backward point. A sad irony is that this occurred six years to the day that he broke that very thumb!!! Here's hoping that history hasn't repeated itself.
An X ray has confirmed that "biscuit thumbs" has broken one of them for the third time. How many weeks he is out for will be a delegate negotiation between his desire to get back playing and what damage he might do by coming back too soon. The lad hasn't had much luck in the last six months. He was concussed three times in Australia, once when pinned by a bouncer in the nets that hit him in the grill, another when hit at short leg courtesy of a long hop from a spinner and a third one as a result of walking into a lamp post (he wasn't under the influence but walking along with his head down, having just had his haircut!). As disappointing as this is, life goes on and we will be there on Saturday to support the 1s in their match against Linden Park.
If there's one thing I would have done when I was younger it would be to give yourself more time to recover properly from injuries..it certainly takes it toll when you get older .Wishing Seb a good recovery .
Unfortunately, unless you happened to be due to be playing at the bottom end of the County, there were very few matches completed in the KCL.
The only Prem game - Sandwich v Holmesdale - had a dramatic finish. Sandwich, with Grant Stewart (batted at 7 for half a dozen but didn't bowl) in their ranks, posted 270. In reply, Holmesdale were always in the hunt thanks to a stand of 155 between Will Harby (72) and NZ overseas Leo Carter who was still at the crease with 4 needed off the final ball of the match. Carter managed just 2 so Sandwich won by just a single run and he ended up 134 not out.
In the newly named second tier, The Championship, two games took place.
Whitstable hosted Bromley with the visitors, having been inserted, making 247 thanks in the main to 91 from Richard Selvey-Clinton. Whitstable chased the target down with 8 overs to spare chiefly due to the efforts of hard hitting Byron Gould who finished on 125 not out off 109 balls.
I was with Bickley Park at Canterbury who were asked to bat by the hosts. A bad start at 7-2 and 39-3 was rectified over time with Bickley reaching 220-9 off their 50 overs. Canterbury were never out of it but ended up 22 runs short. In hindsight, one or two of the Canterbury batsmen will probably regret the shots they got out to given that there were still half a dozen overs to go when their innings was ended. That said, it was a slow, sticky wicket where it was possible to score runs but equally easy to get out as reflected by the fact that no less than 13 players in the game reached 17 but no one posted more than 42. Lessons to be learned all round, including by Seb who gave it up having reached 25. though his next job at hand (literally) is to get his somewhat swollen thumb sorted, an injury resulting from a drop diving at backward point. A sad irony is that this occurred six years to the day that he broke that very thumb!!! Here's hoping that history hasn't repeated itself.
An X ray has confirmed that "biscuit thumbs" has broken one of them for the third time. How many weeks he is out for will be a delegate negotiation between his desire to get back playing and what damage he might do by coming back too soon. The lad hasn't had much luck in the last six months. He was concussed three times in Australia, once when pinned by a bouncer in the nets that hit him in the grill, another when hit at short leg courtesy of a long hop from a spinner and a third one as a result of walking into a lamp post (he wasn't under the influence but walking along with his head down, having just had his haircut!). As disappointing as this is, life goes on and we will be there on Saturday to support the 1s in their match against Linden Park.
Oh dear. Poor Seb! Thumbs are tricky to heal...good luck to you both in managing that!
See Whitstable knocked out money bags out of the national on Sunday
Interesting to see Fin Myers playing for Whitstable - he is a keeper/batsman who followed his Dad, Gary, from Gravesend to Lordswood (where Gary was head coach) and I thought that Fin might get the keeping position in Lordswood's first team following the departure of Shaun Piesley, ironically, to Whitstable's opposition on Sunday, Minster. That said, Sam Denly appears to have retained the gloves at Whitstable so, perhaps, Fin has gone there purely as a batsman.
Had a 12 year break from playing, now with Sheppey CC 2nd XI, had one friendly so far this season at Bearsted, last weekends league game was off, not overly confident about tomorrows game
That is unbelievable. So they now have two of probably the four best all rounders the Kent League has ever had (James Thompson being the other one) as well as any number of current and ex pros and county 2s players. With not one of their first team having come through their colts system.
Their team for tomorrow:
Chris Piesley (ex Kent 2s & MCC YC) Shaun Piesley (ex Kent 2s & Surrey 2s) Laurie Evans (current Surrey 1s) Akhil Venugopalan (current Kent Academy) James Thompson (ex Kent 2s) Kai Appelby (ex Kent 2s) Billy Prideaux (current Essex 2s) Joe Parry (ex Essex 2s & Kent 2s) James Hockley (ex Kent 1s) Max Luckett (current Kent 2s) Dan Masters (ex Kent 2s)
The likes of David Masters (ex Kent 1s and Surrey 1s) and Greg Lamb (ex Zimbabwe and Hampshire) are in their 2s. The sort of money and benefits that one hears are being handed out to players going there is, frankly, ridiculous. Difficult to blame the players for this but this is meant to be an amateur game.
Ed Moore, who plays in the same Western Province team as George Linde and has also played for South Africa A, has arrived for another season at Minster and replaces Akhil Venugopalan. If that team doesn't win the KPL then there will have to be a Stewards Enquiry called. By the Chairman anyway.
See Whitstable knocked out money bags out of the national on Sunday
Great result although Whitstable had the good fortune of meeting Minster on a day when they didn't have Laurie Evans, Ed Moore and James Hockley playing - three of their top five in the KPL.
Linden Park were the visitors to Bickley yesterday and the decision to insert their guests wasn't a difficult one given the prevailing conditions. At 13-2 Bickley were on top but a partnership of 112 involving Campbell (40) and their overseas Prayag Bhati (80) took them to 125 but then Linden Park suffered a monumental collapse in losing their last 8 wickets for just 29 runs for 154 all out with still almost 4 overs left.
It wouldn't be a Bickley start if they didn't, too, lose a couple of early wickets and sure enough yesterday, at 4-2, was no different. A couple of decent partnerships and Bickley looked reasonably comfortable at 105-4 but then they lost the two men that were in namely Magin (22) and Hooper (43 - to a stunning caught and bowled by White) turned the tables. Two more wickets then fell and Bickley were in trouble at 121-8 still needing another 34 to win. I don't understand the reason for this but White was then taken off and with figures of 9-4-7-2 he didn't end up bowling his full allocation. That one more over might have given Linden Park the breakthrough they needed. The old heads of Ridley (21*) and Benn (15*) took Bickley home to win by 2 wickets.
Bickley are now joint top (despite not having a batsman who has hit a 50) with Whitstable which means very little at this stage of the season. Perhaps the most telling thing is that, despite last weeks numerous abandonments, seven of the ten sides have already lost a game. Perhaps that is a sign of how competitive the division is likely to be.
I posted a picture on the Kent thread of the two not out batsmen from the final of the Blast in 2007 namely Yasir Arafat and Darren Stevens. Some 16 years on and both scored hundreds for their respective clubs - Arafat (122 for Roebucks plus 10-0-28-4) and Stevens (101 for St Lawrence and HC plus 10-0-35-1). Both their teams won but Stevens' contribution was probably the more vital given that St Lawrence defeated Blackheath by just 2 runs. Another Kent stalwart, James Treadwell, played for Folkestone (39 plus of 10-0-51-0)
Ah Tredders. Forever the man who had to hit a six off Ravi Ashwin to win England a trophy and played some sort of club-level waft. Found his level innit lol
Anyway, some of us had six whole balls to hit a four to win a 3rd XI game yesterday and failed even more comprehensively. Some of us, to be fair, aren't quite international class either
Bexley appear to have taken on a useful Australian batsman in Hugo Burdon age 22, he top scored 50 not out on Saturday including 3 sixes, when Bexley beat the Vine. An was out for 113 on Sunday, again hitting some big sixes when Bexley comfortably beat Three Bridges in the cup. Apparently was in the Queensland State second 11 last season and played for Brisbane Heat.
Bexley appear to have taken on a useful Australian batsman in Hugo Burdon age 22, he top scored 50 not out on Saturday including 3 sixes, when Bexley beat the Vine. An was out for 113 on Sunday, again hitting some big sixes when Bexley comfortably beat Three Bridges in the cup. Apparently was in the Queensland State second 11 last season and played for Brisbane Heat.
Bexley has an established connection there. Burdon is at least the fourth player from Queensland to go to Bexley with Jimmy Peirson, Sam Heazlett and Arian Jain having done so previously. Both Peirson and Heazlett are regulars in the Queensland and the Heat sides and Jain made his debut for Queensland this season. Peirson has captained both teams and Heazlett has played for Australia too. Burdon has been in the Heat squad but I can't see that he has actually played for them yet but if he turns out to be anywhere near as good as the others he will have done well.
One of the other Aussies to look out for in the Kent League is James Bazley. He's playing for Sandwich and has played for both the Heat and the Hobart Hurricanes as well as Queensland.
Bexley appear to have taken on a useful Australian batsman in Hugo Burdon age 22, he top scored 50 not out on Saturday including 3 sixes, when Bexley beat the Vine. An was out for 113 on Sunday, again hitting some big sixes when Bexley comfortably beat Three Bridges in the cup. Apparently was in the Queensland State second 11 last season and played for Brisbane Heat.
Yea, I watched a chunk of his innings on Sunday, and he looked good, despite being dropped a few times. A few Queenslanders in South East London this season, with Jackson Mills at CWKCC (72* and 4-22), and another Benser (?) Who's name and club I've forgotten....
Bickley Park went to Hesketh Park to play Dartford yesterday. Bickley won the toss and elected to bat. At 36-2 the probability was that Bickley do their usual, recover and set something in the region of 200. Unfortunately for Dartford things didn't quite work out like that as the third wicket partnership between Saf Imitiaz (108) and Sachin Mevada (77) put on 153 for the third wicket. With Michael Ridley adding another 56* Bickley ended up with 319-5.
Given that Bickley's strength is their bowling, chasing 320 was always going to be a tough gig for Dartford. And so it proved from the off with wickets falling at 1, 16, 38 and 52. A steady 53 from Elliott Alger accompanied by some attractive stroke making from Ekansh Singh (25) plus 32 from Gurveer Saini gave Dartford some respectability and they managed to scramble to 179-9 off their 50 overs.
Dartford are a young, up and coming side with a great bunch of lads and I hope that they do enough to survive this season. It's three from three for Bickley which, given the two or three players that have departed and current injuries, is a great platform. However, the biggest test of the season comes next week when they play Whitstable who are the only other team with maximum points. Some bloke called Byron "Buzz" Gould scored his second League ton and now "only" enjoys an average of 292 this season. His wicket will be the prize for Bickley next week and could well mean the difference between winning and losing.
In the Premier League, the result of the day has to be Bexley's defeat of "moneybags" Minster. Bexley were missing the likes of Adam Riley, Adam Ball, Calum Basey and George Haley whereas Minster were virtually at full strength. Minster, with their batting line up of James Thompson (43), James Hockley (41), Ed Moore (2), Laurie Evans (42), Joe Parry (39), Kai Appelby (23) and Chris Piesley (4) and a start of 60-0 off 8 overs, had to be looking at 280 plus. Thanks though to a spell from Ahmed Jamal of 10-0-37-5 Bexley managed to restrict Minster to 234-9. At 113-5 things weren't looking great for Bexley but thanks to a fantastic effort from Ben Aldred (87 off 88 balls) Bexley got home by 4 wickets with almost 10 overs to spare. So Bexley are now joint top with Lordswood and Tunbridge Wells and whether they can sustain that challenge will probably depend on them winning more often in the first half of the season when they will miss messrs Riley and Ball specifically more often than not.
That Dartford keeper/opener has two first-over ducks in two games. In between (last Sunday) he got to face a certain offspinner and carted a large number of thoroughly decent offerings through and over cow corner. Presumably today he'll have someone else to take out his wrath upon
Meanwhile it's looking like said offspinner is going to become a fixture in his club's 2nd XI, playing at least two leagues too high. A season of plucky defeat beckons, although it must said, it's the sort of challenge one will come out of as a better, tougher player. Linden Park's 2nd XI overseas was frankly obscenely good (Indian district-level player) so to go at less than a run a ball was a considerable achievement for a number of our bowlers.
Bickley Park went to Hesketh Park to play Dartford yesterday. Bickley won the toss and elected to bat. At 36-2 the probability was that Bickley do their usual, recover and set something in the region of 200. Unfortunately for Dartford things didn't quite work out like that as the third wicket partnership between Saf Imitiaz (108) and Sachin Mevada (77) put on 153 for the third wicket. With Michael Ridley adding another 56* Bickley ended up with 319-5.
Given that Bickley's strength is their bowling, chasing 320 was always going to be a tough gig for Dartford. And so it proved from the off with wickets falling at 1, 16, 38 and 52. A steady 53 from Elliott Alger accompanied by some attractive stroke making from Ekansh Singh (25) plus 32 from Gurveer Saini gave Dartford some respectability and they managed to scramble to 179-9 off their 50 overs.
Dartford are a young, up and coming side with a great bunch of lads and I hope that they do enough to survive this season. It's three from three for Bickley which, given the two or three players that have departed and current injuries, is a great platform. However, the biggest test of the season comes next week when they play Whitstable who are the only other team with maximum points. Some bloke called Byron "Buzz" Gould scored his second League ton and now "only" enjoys an average of 292 this season. His wicket will be the prize for Bickley next week and could well mean the difference between winning and losing.
In the Premier League, the result of the day has to be Bexley's defeat of "moneybags" Minster. Bexley were missing the likes of Adam Riley, Adam Ball, Calum Basey and George Haley whereas Minster were virtually at full strength. Minster, with their batting line up of James Thompson (43), James Hockley (41), Ed Moore (2), Laurie Evans (42), Joe Parry (39), Kai Appelby (23) and Chris Piesley (4) and a start of 60-0 off 8 overs, had to be looking at 280 plus. Thanks though to a spell from Ahmed Jamal of 10-0-37-5 Bexley managed to restrict Minster to 234-9. At 113-5 things weren't looking great for Bexley but thanks to a fantastic effort from Ben Aldred (87 off 88 balls) Bexley got home by 4 wickets with almost 10 overs to spare. So Bexley are now joint top with Lordswood and Tunbridge Wells and whether they can sustain that challenge will probably depend on them winning more often in the first half of the season when they will miss messrs Riley and Ball specifically more often than not.
Buzz is a serious cricketer, and this year looks to have upped his game, looks like he has lost a bit of timber, and batting at 4 with a bit more responsibility and help the younger players. Whitstable are in a strong position as a club
Bickley Park went to Hesketh Park to play Dartford yesterday. Bickley won the toss and elected to bat. At 36-2 the probability was that Bickley do their usual, recover and set something in the region of 200. Unfortunately for Dartford things didn't quite work out like that as the third wicket partnership between Saf Imitiaz (108) and Sachin Mevada (77) put on 153 for the third wicket. With Michael Ridley adding another 56* Bickley ended up with 319-5.
Given that Bickley's strength is their bowling, chasing 320 was always going to be a tough gig for Dartford. And so it proved from the off with wickets falling at 1, 16, 38 and 52. A steady 53 from Elliott Alger accompanied by some attractive stroke making from Ekansh Singh (25) plus 32 from Gurveer Saini gave Dartford some respectability and they managed to scramble to 179-9 off their 50 overs.
Dartford are a young, up and coming side with a great bunch of lads and I hope that they do enough to survive this season. It's three from three for Bickley which, given the two or three players that have departed and current injuries, is a great platform. However, the biggest test of the season comes next week when they play Whitstable who are the only other team with maximum points. Some bloke called Byron "Buzz" Gould scored his second League ton and now "only" enjoys an average of 292 this season. His wicket will be the prize for Bickley next week and could well mean the difference between winning and losing.
In the Premier League, the result of the day has to be Bexley's defeat of "moneybags" Minster. Bexley were missing the likes of Adam Riley, Adam Ball, Calum Basey and George Haley whereas Minster were virtually at full strength. Minster, with their batting line up of James Thompson (43), James Hockley (41), Ed Moore (2), Laurie Evans (42), Joe Parry (39), Kai Appelby (23) and Chris Piesley (4) and a start of 60-0 off 8 overs, had to be looking at 280 plus. Thanks though to a spell from Ahmed Jamal of 10-0-37-5 Bexley managed to restrict Minster to 234-9. At 113-5 things weren't looking great for Bexley but thanks to a fantastic effort from Ben Aldred (87 off 88 balls) Bexley got home by 4 wickets with almost 10 overs to spare. So Bexley are now joint top with Lordswood and Tunbridge Wells and whether they can sustain that challenge will probably depend on them winning more often in the first half of the season when they will miss messrs Riley and Ball specifically more often than not.
Buzz is a serious cricketer, and this year looks to have upped his game, looks like he has lost a bit of timber, and batting at 4 with a bit more responsibility and help the younger players. Whitstable are in a strong position as a club
This is so true regarding Buzz. In taking more responsibility he is also earning himself the right to be there at the important end of the innings and not a quick 30, 40 or 50 and out. His 109 came off 59 balls but I heard that his second 50 was off 14 balls. For that reason and the number of players Bickley will have missing, Whitstable will undoubtedly be favourites. It only take one ball though and if Buzz does go early and even though I accept that they aren't a one man team, then I would fancy Bickley to win. It should be a great game and the only sad thing for me and more so for him is that Seb, unfortunately, won't have recovered in time from his broken thumb.
As someone who had to bowl at Sam Denly twice last season I can confirm they are not a one-man team
They aren't and in addition to Sam, they have his son, Jaydn, Dave Fulton's son, Harry, Liam Tegg and Stuart Drakely. Nobody should underestimate them but get Buzz out early and there is much more of a level playing field. He is the differential as evidenced by his 292 runs off just 226 balls - that's 42.38% of Whitstable's total runs off the bat this season at a rate of almost 8 runs an over. Equally, Bickley's best performing three bowlers this season have taken 21 wickets already between them at 11.66 a wicket and at barely 3 runs an over. It should be a great contest between bat and ball.
As someone who had to bowl at Sam Denly twice last season I can confirm they are not a one-man team
They aren't and in addition to Sam, they have his son, Jaydn, Dave Fulton's son, Harry, Liam Tegg and Stuart Drakely. Nobody should underestimate them but get Buzz out early and there is much more of a level playing field. He is the differential as evidenced by his 292 runs off just 226 balls - that's 42.38% of Whitstable's total runs off the bat this season at a rate of almost 8 runs an over. Equally, Bickley's best performing three bowlers this season have taken 21 wickets already between them at 11.66 a wicket and at barely 3 runs an over. It should be a great contest between bat and ball.
To added to that, they also have Goss who is very good as well.
There is a somewhat unusual situation at The Mote. They have an overseas all rounder in their first team by the name of Dylan de Villiers who was in Lordswood's 2nd XI last season. By all accounts, three weeks ago he completely smashed one of his fingers in a pre season friendly to the extent that he cannot hold a bat. Yesterday, in his first game back, he batted at 11 and because of his situation The Mote were forced to declare with the score on 152-9 off 42 overs. He then returned figures of 9.5-1-32-1 but, presumably, he was having to go from something like third man to third man. If the finger is really as bad as rumoured then The Mote might be forced to declare more often than not.
Think Jayden Denly is playing his fair share of Kent 2s at the moment so they must think quite highly of him.
He is and Kent clearly do. As are Dartford's Ekansh Singh and Barney Ford (who I have mentioned previously here as being highly promising) and who both played against Bickley yesterday. Ekansh scored a delightful 25 but then allowed himself to fall into the trap and Barney bowled with pace but was a bit erratic at times. It is a learning curve for all of them.
After back to back promotions for our firsts I reckon it’s a relegation battle for them in the Mid Essex cricket league . they’ve lost two out of two think one abandoned but more importantly have lost our overseas Pakistani popstar who is a brilliant bat , he’s turning down the delights of a summer in Essex to relocate to Dubai and 5 other first team stalwarts due to injury , age and work schedules being changed . A young side got well beaten on Saturday by Old Chlemsfordians who set 248/8 in 45 and we were 153 all out . my eldest had a mare of a weekend golden Saturday and 9 overs 0-60 odd followed up on Sunday with a 1 and 2 overs for 15 he did take a couple of catches and a run out but also dropped two which is a disgrace because as a family we’re average cricketers at best with brains who can always catch !
So using the Charlton players ruling that if you don’t play and through time you then become a better player I have reclaimed the household title of number one cricketer even though I’m out injured . my 11 year old , 2 overs for 5 runs and 2 whilst batting put a claim in but he had a 1 wicket or 10 runs off bat target not reached . 13 year old has had 2 ducks 2 goldens a 3 and a 4 in his last 6 club/school matches bowled couple of overs in one game for not many so he’s not in the running and is really fucked off with it . ffs my kids are shit I mean my fucking arm has fallen off throwing/bowling balls at them over the years .
on a side note (thanks whoever put the England over 40s team sheet up on the other thread) a really nice coach who the kids have had a bit of one to one with (you can’t polish a turd ) Mohammad Akhtar is vice captain for England over 40s , he plays for Ilford and 20 years or so ago he was on the periphery of Essex but never made the first team but a nicer gentleman you couldn’t wish to meet . Just checked his WhatsApp pic and he’s in his England training top, bless him . originally from Pakistan, last year think he told me there’s an over 40 World Cup going to take place in Pakistan and he was trialling for our over 40s and is desperate to make it .
After back to back promotions for our firsts I reckon it’s a relegation battle for them in the Mid Essex cricket league . they’ve lost two out of two think one abandoned but more importantly have lost our overseas Pakistani popstar who is a brilliant bat , he’s turning down the delights of a summer in Essex to relocate to Dubai and 5 other first team stalwarts due to injury , age and work schedules being changed . A young side got well beaten on Saturday by Old Chlemsfordians who set 248/8 in 45 and we were 153 all out . my eldest had a mare of a weekend golden Saturday and 9 overs 0-60 odd followed up on Sunday with a 1 and 2 overs for 15 he did take a couple of catches and a run out but also dropped two which is a disgrace because as a family we’re average cricketers at best with brains who can always catch !
So using the Charlton players ruling that if you don’t play and through time you then become a better player I have reclaimed the household title of number one cricketer even though I’m out injured . my 11 year old , 2 overs for 5 runs and 2 whilst batting put a claim in but he had a 1 wicket or 10 runs off bat target not reached . 13 year old has had 2 ducks 2 goldens a 3 and a 4 in his last 6 club/school matches bowled couple of overs in one game for not many so he’s not in the running and is really fucked off with it . ffs my kids are shit I mean my fucking arm has fallen off throwing/bowling balls at them over the years .
on a side note (thanks whoever put the England over 40s team sheet up on the other thread) a really nice coach who the kids have had a bit of one to one with (you can’t polish a turd ) Mohammad Akhtar is vice captain for England over 40s , he plays for Ilford and 20 years or so ago he was on the periphery of Essex but never made the first team but a nicer gentleman you couldn’t wish to meet . Just checked his WhatsApp pic and he’s in his England training top, bless him . originally from Pakistan, last year think he told me there’s an over 40 World Cup going to take place in Pakistan and he was trialling for our over 40s and is desperate to make it .
I'm sure that the kids will get better in time. From my own experience, since retiring I've been a much better player than I ever was when playing and I'm getting better each and every year. And the bad news for my two sons is that there isn't much evidence on Play Cricket to prove otherwise!
Here's hoping Mohammad Akhtar makes the World Cup side.
The idea that by staying fit and always striving to keep getting better one can actually play at a higher and higher standard is a terrific motivator. Life begins at 40...
Comments
It wouldn't be a Bickley start if they didn't, too, lose a couple of early wickets and sure enough yesterday, at 4-2, was no different. A couple of decent partnerships and Bickley looked reasonably comfortable at 105-4 but then they lost the two men that were in namely Magin (22) and Hooper (43 - to a stunning caught and bowled by White) turned the tables. Two more wickets then fell and Bickley were in trouble at 121-8 still needing another 34 to win. I don't understand the reason for this but White was then taken off and with figures of 9-4-7-2 he didn't end up bowling his full allocation. That one more over might have given Linden Park the breakthrough they needed. The old heads of Ridley (21*) and Benn (15*) took Bickley home to win by 2 wickets.
Bickley are now joint top (despite not having a batsman who has hit a 50) with Whitstable which means very little at this stage of the season. Perhaps the most telling thing is that, despite last weeks numerous abandonments, seven of the ten sides have already lost a game. Perhaps that is a sign of how competitive the division is likely to be.
I posted a picture on the Kent thread of the two not out batsmen from the final of the Blast in 2007 namely Yasir Arafat and Darren Stevens. Some 16 years on and both scored hundreds for their respective clubs - Arafat (122 for Roebucks plus 10-0-28-4) and Stevens (101 for St Lawrence and HC plus 10-0-35-1). Both their teams won but Stevens' contribution was probably the more vital given that St Lawrence defeated Blackheath by just 2 runs. Another Kent stalwart, James Treadwell, played for Folkestone (39 plus of 10-0-51-0)
Anyway, some of us had six whole balls to hit a four to win a 3rd XI game yesterday and failed even more comprehensively. Some of us, to be fair, aren't quite international class either
One of the other Aussies to look out for in the Kent League is James Bazley. He's playing for Sandwich and has played for both the Heat and the Hobart Hurricanes as well as Queensland.
Given that Bickley's strength is their bowling, chasing 320 was always going to be a tough gig for Dartford. And so it proved from the off with wickets falling at 1, 16, 38 and 52. A steady 53 from Elliott Alger accompanied by some attractive stroke making from Ekansh Singh (25) plus 32 from Gurveer Saini gave Dartford some respectability and they managed to scramble to 179-9 off their 50 overs.
Dartford are a young, up and coming side with a great bunch of lads and I hope that they do enough to survive this season. It's three from three for Bickley which, given the two or three players that have departed and current injuries, is a great platform. However, the biggest test of the season comes next week when they play Whitstable who are the only other team with maximum points. Some bloke called Byron "Buzz" Gould scored his second League ton and now "only" enjoys an average of 292 this season. His wicket will be the prize for Bickley next week and could well mean the difference between winning and losing.
In the Premier League, the result of the day has to be Bexley's defeat of "moneybags" Minster. Bexley were missing the likes of Adam Riley, Adam Ball, Calum Basey and George Haley whereas Minster were virtually at full strength. Minster, with their batting line up of James Thompson (43), James Hockley (41), Ed Moore (2), Laurie Evans (42), Joe Parry (39), Kai Appelby (23) and Chris Piesley (4) and a start of 60-0 off 8 overs, had to be looking at 280 plus. Thanks though to a spell from Ahmed Jamal of 10-0-37-5 Bexley managed to restrict Minster to 234-9. At 113-5 things weren't looking great for Bexley but thanks to a fantastic effort from Ben Aldred (87 off 88 balls) Bexley got home by 4 wickets with almost 10 overs to spare. So Bexley are now joint top with Lordswood and Tunbridge Wells and whether they can sustain that challenge will probably depend on them winning more often in the first half of the season when they will miss messrs Riley and Ball specifically more often than not.
Meanwhile it's looking like said offspinner is going to become a fixture in his club's 2nd XI, playing at least two leagues too high. A season of plucky defeat beckons, although it must said, it's the sort of challenge one will come out of as a better, tougher player. Linden Park's 2nd XI overseas was frankly obscenely good (Indian district-level player) so to go at less than a run a ball was a considerable achievement for a number of our bowlers.
they’ve lost two out of two think one abandoned but more importantly have lost our overseas Pakistani popstar who is a brilliant bat , he’s turning down the delights of a summer in Essex to relocate to Dubai and 5 other first team stalwarts due to injury , age and work schedules being changed .
A young side got well beaten on Saturday by Old Chlemsfordians who set 248/8 in 45 and we were 153 all out .
my eldest had a mare of a weekend golden Saturday and 9 overs 0-60 odd followed up on Sunday with a 1 and 2 overs for 15 he did take a couple of catches and a run out but also dropped two which is a disgrace because as a family we’re average cricketers at best with brains who can always catch !
my 11 year old , 2 overs for 5 runs and 2 whilst batting put a claim in but he had a 1 wicket or 10 runs off bat target not reached .
13 year old has had 2 ducks 2 goldens a 3 and a 4 in his last 6 club/school matches bowled couple of overs in one game for not many so he’s not in the running and is really fucked off with it .
ffs my kids are shit
I mean my fucking arm has fallen off throwing/bowling balls at them over the years .
on a side note (thanks whoever put the England over 40s team sheet up on the other thread) a really nice coach who the kids have had a bit of one to one with (you can’t polish a turd ) Mohammad Akhtar is vice captain for England over 40s , he plays for Ilford and 20 years or so ago he was on the periphery of Essex but never made the first team but a nicer gentleman you couldn’t wish to meet .
Just checked his WhatsApp pic and he’s in his England training top, bless him .
originally from Pakistan, last year think he told me there’s an over 40 World Cup going to take place in Pakistan and he was trialling for our over 40s and is desperate to make it .
Here's hoping Mohammad Akhtar makes the World Cup side.