Bickley Park were the visitors to Foxgrove yesterday to play Beckenham.
The home side won the toss and elected to bat on a pitch that looked like it wasn't going to get better as time went on. They lost Hari (7) early on but a 100 stand between Senn (69) and Fear (30) took them to 126-1 off 30 overs - 250 looked well on the cards. But then Beckenham lost their way, mainly due to the superb bowling and fielding of the visitors, in making just 81-7 off the final 20 overs.
Bickley set about their task of chasing 208 with some brilliant stroke play from Singh (50) and Hooper (40) and an opening partnership of 84 - Bickley's highest for at least two seasons. They then lost Mevada (18) and Imitiaz (19) and the concern was not whether they would run out of overs but out of wickets. Seb was playing his first match for six weeks (and only second of the season) and used the time available as a net in the middle. Despite losing a couple more wickets, Bickley won with almost 6 overs to go and with 4 wickets in hand. Seb finished on 32 not out.
So Bickley remain in the place they have been since the very first game and now lead by a healthy 26 points. If they can consistently get their best 11 on the pitch, week in week out, they will gain promotion. If.
Ha ha yep he’d bowled a few pies down (5-0-35) the quickest outfield I’d ever seen in my life saw Springfield smash 308 in 45 overs with an unbeaten 136 (94) from their oldest player (who was mid 40s ffs)
I said 220 and other dad with me said 284 we’d get to
we hung on with run rate needing between 7 and 8 per over for the first 30 overs but kept losing wickets and boffin (17 yo ) came in at 10 and was batting with a 16 year old when we needed 66 in 8 overs. They worked the gaps picked off the bad ball , the odd half chance missed and misfield ran a 4 and a 3 the first one of the day and needed 45 in 5 boffin is a long streak of piss and pretty quick between the wickets but was blowing out of his arse and they were missing a few runs (not helped by our umpire a player in whites at point (back to the sun) looking like a fielder !!) I’d be sat silent if he hit a boundary and then screaming ‘run you idiot He hasn’t got a bionic arm’ when they’d turn down a second run to some Wally on the boundary . they needed 29 off 3 , then a big over made it 14 off 2 and boffin on strike went 2 4 4 . . . Ffs so left it to the other fella to score 4 off the last over and he brought it home with a 4 first ball of the over my son was 42 not out and buzzing , oppo were broken …. He’s got limited ability but has a brain so I was very proud how he kept his composure and brought the team home , i gave him a hug later on , weirdo went back to our clubhouse(shitty hut in a park) with a few of the players and didn’t drink , so fucking sensible , I went home and fell asleep on sofa the league is super tight and they sit 3rd but 5 of yesterdays Xl aren’t available next week and boffin missing for 5 weeks school trips, match and holiday . I’ve told him he’ll be in the thirds when he’s back !
my season is done(fucked my knee up bowling 2 overs the other week ) but my bat got a 50 for our thIrds yesterday as a dad from little shits team, who hadnt played for 20 years , made up the numbers for our thirds …
peter Kay and boffin playing for Sunday league Xl today
The Mote were the visitors to Bickley Park in a game that rather became a bit of a non event.
Bickley won the toss and elected to bat. They lost all rounder hooper in the second over for a duck but that really was the high point for The Mote. Imitiaz rode his luck early on but helped himself to a second ton of the season (114 off 120) and supported mainly by Singh (32) and Riley (48), Bickley were all out for 247 off the final ball of their 50 overs. A competitive score but certainly not an insurmountable one at face value.
The issue was that at no stage did The Mote make any attempt to put pressure on the bowlers. They regularly lost wickets but did so in such a tame way that they used up 41 overs reaching their total of 122. Hooper made up for his duck with 4-23 and Darroch took 3-31.
So Bickley consolidate their place at the top. They are now 26 points clear of Canterbury and 33 points ahead of third placed Beckenham with the rest of the division separated by just 24 points. A couple of tricky games coming up though, a trip to Folkestone and the return fixture against Canterbury, but if they can come through those unscathed then they can possibly start talking about the "p" word.
I cannot recall a club game in which two players on the same side each scored a ton and still found themselves on the losing side - but that's what happened to Tunbridge Wells yesterday.
Chris Williams (104) and Sam Smith (109) were the centurions in question with the third top score just 14 out of a total of 298-7. Bexley won with one ball to spare by one wicket with their overseas, Burdon, top scoring with 90 (off 74).
The KPL is incredibly tight at the top. Just 13 points separates Wells at the top from Sandwich in 6th place. Despite the fact that Minster have won just four of their eight matches, they are just six points from leading and with the wealth of talent at their disposal it would be a brave man to back against them. In their 8 wicket defeat of Lordswood yesterday, they had all their pros, Ed Moore, Aron Nijjar and Laurie Evans, playing. Add to those three the likes of ex Kent player James Hockley and the other seven who have all played county 2s and they do have an embarrassment of well funded riches. Money talks as they say.
I was at the Bexley game, and was a great afternoons entertainment. When Bexley were set 299 to win it didn’t look possible. Really exciting action right down to the number 11 bat coming on and taking a 4 to win off his first ball.
Our twos were defending 160 (40 overs) against Beaulieu Park seconds who somehow went from 77-0 to 77-5 with a hatrick for our bowler Dash , my mates son reported that said bowler smoked 20 fags during our innings and vaped all the way through whilst on the field . we won by 9 runs
Boffin (having picked up some end of year prizes at school, no interest mrs went) had a pupils v teachers “hundred’ match . last years 20 over game took too long and was won comfortably by the teachers , this took 3.5 hours yesterday ffs this year the first Xl have this as their only fixture because they can’t get a proper team out. they’re so bad my son opened , top scored with a quick predominantly pulled to leg side 44 and the kids got 169 teachers with a 90 from their only genuine still playing player got to 160 .
Boffin took the winning catch on the boundary with a couple of balls left having done so in the previous over off a free hit when he was the only one in the team not celebrating and throwing it back in to get a run out as all the team mates rushed to him , kids got a brain but limited ability .
Went to Bromley yesterday and saw a really classy batting performance from the Beckenham overseas. Played completely 360 - seemed to look where there wasn’t a fielder and put the ball there no matter which type of delivery was bowled to him.
Went to Bromley yesterday and saw a really classy batting performance from the Beckenham overseas. Played completely 360 - seemed to look where there wasn’t a fielder and put the ball there no matter which type of delivery was bowled to him.
One to watch out for.
Saad helps my son coaching on Monday nights with the Beckenham U11s. Saad's 23 now but played for Pakistan U19s as well as first class cricket there. Last week they were on opposite sides (Beckenham v Bickley) - first ball Saad played the most exquisite on drive off Jason Benn. A matter of a couple of overs later he chipped one off the same bowler straight to mid on. Bickley got away with one but might not be so lucky in the return. Saad bowls some decent spin too and returned figures of 2-21 off 10. His English isn't perfect but he still managed on the Monday to taunt my son when accusing him of "not wanting to take him on". Sometimes discretion really is the better part of valour.
There are joint leading wicket takers in the Kent Cricket Championship Division - Elliot Hooper of Bickley Park (18-219) and Marcus Lilley of Bromley (18-220). These two know each other reasonably well - up until last year Hooper was Lilley's cricket coach at Trinity School.
first game yesterday in a few years... t20, 0-25 off 3 overs of medium pace trundlers. Only one two bounce no ball! batting ran a 3 and then got myself run out, great to be back out there.
How are Bickley 2s shaping up at the moment AA? Asking for an um friend. Also is your pitch taking spin
The 2s are on the weaker side and certainly do not possess many, if any, players capable of holding down a place in the 1s. That said, I see their opposition are sharing the relegation zone with them so it should be an even contest. As for spin, I wouldn't say the pitch is a big turner but the fact that the 1s are top of the League and they have four spinners in their side suggests that if your friend puts the ball in the right place he should do OK. Hope your friend has a good game and I will be viewing the scorecard with interest.
How are Bickley 2s shaping up at the moment AA? Asking for an um friend. Also is your pitch taking spin
The 2s are on the weaker side and certainly do not possess many, if any, players capable of holding down a place in the 1s. That said, I see their opposition are sharing the relegation zone with them so it should be an even contest. As for spin, I wouldn't say the pitch is a big turner but the fact that the 1s are top of the League and they have four spinners in their side suggests that if your friend puts the ball in the right place he should do OK. Hope your friend has a good game and I will be viewing the scorecard with interest.
I would say that your 2s will probably have some joy against ours. As a friend of mine (not at Colfes) put it fairly acerbically, "looks like they've gone into administration". (I found it funny at least.)
This is, of course, ZERO knock on our lot whatsoever. We've known from the get go that this would be a transitional year, but it's proving to be tough mudding even so.
How are Bickley 2s shaping up at the moment AA? Asking for an um friend. Also is your pitch taking spin
It doesn't help when oppo's umpire (1st time as a 1st team umpire) gave one BP2's player out caught off his thigh pad. He said (and I quote) "Well, it was a big appeal so I gave it out"! Said player was duly recalled, but it did leave a bad taste for what was left of the match, and has had subsequent (unhappy) consequences.
Now I know that umpiring is not easy at times, but I can honestly say that never in my career has a player been recalled once I've given him or her out.
Good luck to both teams in this upcoming six-pointer!
I've maintained that we will win a game this year. Taking next weekend off for a short holiday (not to land nor sea, but to Leicester) and thus dodging top of the table Jackson Mills CC. Knowing my luck (and weighing the boost my absence might create), that'll be the one
How are Bickley 2s shaping up at the moment AA? Asking for an um friend. Also is your pitch taking spin
The 2s are on the weaker side and certainly do not possess many, if any, players capable of holding down a place in the 1s. That said, I see their opposition are sharing the relegation zone with them so it should be an even contest. As for spin, I wouldn't say the pitch is a big turner but the fact that the 1s are top of the League and they have four spinners in their side suggests that if your friend puts the ball in the right place he should do OK. Hope your friend has a good game and I will be viewing the scorecard with interest.
I have some potentially not so good news for you hot off the press. There is an outside chance that the overseas who has been very successful in the 1s might be playing in the 2s. It's all a bit grey at the moment so you will have to wait and see. Hope your friend doesn't lose too much sleep tonight.
How are Bickley 2s shaping up at the moment AA? Asking for an um friend. Also is your pitch taking spin
The 2s are on the weaker side and certainly do not possess many, if any, players capable of holding down a place in the 1s. That said, I see their opposition are sharing the relegation zone with them so it should be an even contest. As for spin, I wouldn't say the pitch is a big turner but the fact that the 1s are top of the League and they have four spinners in their side suggests that if your friend puts the ball in the right place he should do OK. Hope your friend has a good game and I will be viewing the scorecard with interest.
I would say that your 2s will probably have some joy against ours. As a friend of mine (not at Colfes) put it fairly acerbically, "looks like they've gone into administration". (I found it funny at least.)
This is, of course, ZERO knock on our lot whatsoever. We've known from the get go that this would be a transitional year, but it's proving to be tough mudding even so.
If this is the same person, I believe that your friend specifically asked to play in the 2s for BP rather than travel down to Folkestone with the 1s
I've maintained that we will win a game this year. Taking next weekend off for a short holiday (not to land nor sea, but to Leicester) and thus dodging top of the table Jackson Mills CC. Knowing my luck (and weighing the boost my absence might create), that'll be the one
Jackson may be good, but CWKCC are very much not a one-man team I can assure you!
Bickley Park 1s travelled to Folkestone yesterday and despite the fact that the home side's star overseas all rounder, with two in two tons in two weeks, fractured his finger fielding, Bickley still managed to lose a game that they should have won comfortably. Yes Bickley were missing their own top scorer but they could not have any excuse for this defeat.
Bickley won the toss and elected to bat. One would have imagined that 153-1 off 34 overs as being a great platform but, actually, it should have almost certainly been more than that especially as the second change bowler was not meant to be bowling in the first place. Normally a bowler of lively pace, he had sustained a side strain a couple of weeks ago and was told not to bowl for another couple of weeks but was forced into action following the demise of Folkestone's overseas and could barely turn his arm over at a speed a good few notches short of military medium. The final 16 overs resulted in a bit of smash and panic and returned 95-8 including a hat trick off the final three balls of the innings from their opening bowler.
So 249 for Folkestone to win and even without their injured star they did so by 6 wickets with 8 balls to spare. Their captain and opener set the tone with an inventive if, at times, streaky, 69 off 67 balls and it was left to the old pro, one James Tredwell, to see them home with 49 not out off 46 balls aided at the finish by Mr Side Strain with an undefeated 17 off 11. If I were to describe Bickley's fielding, at times, as "average", you can assume that I am being rather kind.
A second bad day at the office for Bickley this season. They should have managed to get another 20 or so runs with the bat and their fielding cost them that many again. Certainly not terminal because they are still top but they cannot afford too many more like this if they do want to go up. And with a very small squad they are going to be hit by absences as the season progresses. Next week is Canterbury who are now breathing down Bickley's neck having managed a four match winning streak.
Personally and collectively withered under assault yesterday. Very bad day at the bowling office. That we scored 222-4 in reply without really looking to be aggressive should reveal what sort of pitch it was, though
Bickley Park 1s travelled to Folkestone yesterday and despite the fact that the home side's star overseas all rounder, with two in two tons in two weeks, fractured his finger fielding, Bickley still managed to lose a game that they should have won comfortably. Yes Bickley were missing their own top scorer but they could not have any excuse for this defeat.
Bickley won the toss and elected to bat. One would have imagined that 153-1 off 34 overs as being a great platform but, actually, it should have almost certainly been more than that especially as the second change bowler was not meant to be bowling in the first place. Normally a bowler of lively pace, he had sustained a side strain a couple of weeks ago and was told not to bowl for another couple of weeks but was forced into action following the demise of Folkestone's overseas and could barely turn his arm over at a speed a good few notches short of military medium. The final 16 overs resulted in a bit of smash and panic and returned 95-8 including a hat trick off the final three balls of the innings from their opening bowler.
So 249 for Folkestone to win and even without their injured star they did so by 6 wickets with 8 balls to spare. Their captain and opener set the tone with an inventive if, at times, streaky, 69 off 67 balls and it was left to the old pro, one James Tredwell, to see them home with 49 not out off 46 balls aided at the finish by Mr Side Strain with an undefeated 17 off 11. If I were to describe Bickley's fielding, at times, as "average", you can assume that I am being rather kind.
A second bad day at the office for Bickley this season. They should have managed to get another 20 or so runs with the bat and their fielding cost them that many again. Certainly not terminal because they are still top but they cannot afford too many more like this if they do want to go up. And with a very small squad they are going to be hit by absences as the season progresses. Next week is Canterbury who are now breathing down Bickley's neck having managed a four match winning streak.
I'm doing next week's BP game against Canterbury....
Bickley Park 1s travelled to Folkestone yesterday and despite the fact that the home side's star overseas all rounder, with two in two tons in two weeks, fractured his finger fielding, Bickley still managed to lose a game that they should have won comfortably. Yes Bickley were missing their own top scorer but they could not have any excuse for this defeat.
Bickley won the toss and elected to bat. One would have imagined that 153-1 off 34 overs as being a great platform but, actually, it should have almost certainly been more than that especially as the second change bowler was not meant to be bowling in the first place. Normally a bowler of lively pace, he had sustained a side strain a couple of weeks ago and was told not to bowl for another couple of weeks but was forced into action following the demise of Folkestone's overseas and could barely turn his arm over at a speed a good few notches short of military medium. The final 16 overs resulted in a bit of smash and panic and returned 95-8 including a hat trick off the final three balls of the innings from their opening bowler.
So 249 for Folkestone to win and even without their injured star they did so by 6 wickets with 8 balls to spare. Their captain and opener set the tone with an inventive if, at times, streaky, 69 off 67 balls and it was left to the old pro, one James Tredwell, to see them home with 49 not out off 46 balls aided at the finish by Mr Side Strain with an undefeated 17 off 11. If I were to describe Bickley's fielding, at times, as "average", you can assume that I am being rather kind.
A second bad day at the office for Bickley this season. They should have managed to get another 20 or so runs with the bat and their fielding cost them that many again. Certainly not terminal because they are still top but they cannot afford too many more like this if they do want to go up. And with a very small squad they are going to be hit by absences as the season progresses. Next week is Canterbury who are now breathing down Bickley's neck having managed a four match winning streak.
I'm doing next week's BP game against Canterbury....
Look forward to seeing you. It should be a corker.
Bickley Park 1s crashed to their second defeat in consecutive matches and third of the season as Canterbury reversed their opening game loss.
Bickley elected to bat and at just over the half way stage the home side looked like they would cement their place at the top. With the aid of DLS Bickley set a very competitive target of 230 off 39 overs thanks to Imtiaz's third and most impressive tons of the season (105* off 109), aided by Hooper (43) and 44 off 34 from Mevada.
Two early wickets from Darroch and Canterbury were in trouble at 10-2. But from that point onwards the likes of opener Wheeler (50 off 34), skipper Taig (70 off 86), Rutherford (34) and Davis (32) saw Canterbury home by 4 wickets with 11 balls to spare.
So Bickley are now back in the pack, albeit still top by a single point. A couple of weeks ago they looked likely Championship winners but there are question marks about their promotion credentials now especially as they have any number of players missing in weeks to come.
The real surprise in the division is Whitstable who, having won their first three matches, are now bottom, having lost seven games on the bounce. On paper, they have some very good players with the likes of Byron "Buzz" Gould, Liam Tegg, Sam and Jaydn Denly, Harry Fulton and his Dad, Dave, who played for the ones yesterday. That said, such is the nature of the Championship, any team is capable of beating another and it wouldn't be a shock if they managed to string some wins together again.
In their defence, I heard that the Umpires were firm but fair.
In the first game between the sides, Seb broke his thumb dropping a diving catch at point from a square cut by former Kent Academy player Isaac Dilkes. Seb got his revenge in that game when he caught Dilkes at square leg with said broken thumb from a switch hit. Yesterday, Dilkes, having made a single, decided to pick Seb out on the midwicket boundary and the ball was comfortably pouched. In the immortal words of Meatloaf, "two out of three ain't bad" but I'm sure that Seb would like to be given the chance to play against Dilkes most weeks - they are the only three opportunities he's had to take a catch all season!
They lost time due to rain. No DLS in Div 2 and once the game had started there could be no reduction in overs with 16 overs starting at 7.00pm. So both sides get 13 points made up of 6 points for the abandonment plus 3 batting and 4 bowling points. I see from the scorecard that the 9th wicket fell with 2 balls to go of the 16 overs and the over finished dot, wide, dot. Which suggests that Bromley Town settled for taking an extra the 13 points for the "incomplete" game rather than the 7 points for losing or trying to get 18 for the win.
Bromley Town got mightily upset last season when their 2's game ran out of time against CWKCC 2's, and whinged rotten to the umpire as Chisles were nine down. Now their ones also run out of time too...
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The home side won the toss and elected to bat on a pitch that looked like it wasn't going to get better as time went on. They lost Hari (7) early on but a 100 stand between Senn (69) and Fear (30) took them to 126-1 off 30 overs - 250 looked well on the cards. But then Beckenham lost their way, mainly due to the superb bowling and fielding of the visitors, in making just 81-7 off the final 20 overs.
Bickley set about their task of chasing 208 with some brilliant stroke play from Singh (50) and Hooper (40) and an opening partnership of 84 - Bickley's highest for at least two seasons. They then lost Mevada (18) and Imitiaz (19) and the concern was not whether they would run out of overs but out of wickets. Seb was playing his first match for six weeks (and only second of the season) and used the time available as a net in the middle. Despite losing a couple more wickets, Bickley won with almost 6 overs to go and with 4 wickets in hand. Seb finished on 32 not out.
So Bickley remain in the place they have been since the very first game and now lead by a healthy 26 points. If they can consistently get their best 11 on the pitch, week in week out, they will gain promotion. If.
I said 220 and other dad with me said 284 we’d get to
we hung on with run rate needing between 7 and 8 per over for the first 30 overs but kept losing wickets and boffin (17 yo ) came in at 10 and was batting with a 16 year old when we needed 66 in 8 overs. They worked the gaps picked off the bad ball , the odd half chance missed and misfield ran a 4 and a 3 the first one of the day and needed 45 in 5
boffin is a long streak of piss and pretty quick between the wickets but was blowing out of his arse and they were missing a few runs (not helped by our umpire a player in whites at point (back to the sun) looking like a fielder !!) I’d be sat silent if he hit a boundary and then screaming ‘run you idiot He hasn’t got a bionic arm’ when they’d turn down a second run to some Wally on the boundary .
they needed 29 off 3 , then a big over made it 14 off 2 and boffin on strike went 2 4 4 . . . Ffs so left it to the other fella to score 4 off the last over and he brought it home with a 4 first ball of the over
my son was 42 not out and buzzing , oppo were broken …. He’s got limited ability but has a brain so I was very proud how he kept his composure and brought the team home , i gave him a hug later on , weirdo went back to our clubhouse(shitty hut in a park) with a few of the players and didn’t drink , so fucking sensible , I went home and fell asleep on sofa
the league is super tight and they sit 3rd but 5 of yesterdays Xl aren’t available next week and boffin missing for 5 weeks school trips, match and holiday . I’ve told him he’ll be in the thirds when he’s back !
my season is done(fucked my knee up bowling 2 overs the other week ) but my bat got a 50 for our thIrds yesterday as a dad from little shits team, who hadnt played for 20 years , made up the numbers for our thirds …
peter Kay and boffin playing for Sunday league Xl today
Bickley won the toss and elected to bat. They lost all rounder hooper in the second over for a duck but that really was the high point for The Mote. Imitiaz rode his luck early on but helped himself to a second ton of the season (114 off 120) and supported mainly by Singh (32) and Riley (48), Bickley were all out for 247 off the final ball of their 50 overs. A competitive score but certainly not an insurmountable one at face value.
The issue was that at no stage did The Mote make any attempt to put pressure on the bowlers. They regularly lost wickets but did so in such a tame way that they used up 41 overs reaching their total of 122. Hooper made up for his duck with 4-23 and Darroch took 3-31.
So Bickley consolidate their place at the top. They are now 26 points clear of Canterbury and 33 points ahead of third placed Beckenham with the rest of the division separated by just 24 points. A couple of tricky games coming up though, a trip to Folkestone and the return fixture against Canterbury, but if they can come through those unscathed then they can possibly start talking about the "p" word.
Chris Williams (104) and Sam Smith (109) were the centurions in question with the third top score just 14 out of a total of 298-7. Bexley won with one ball to spare by one wicket with their overseas, Burdon, top scoring with 90 (off 74).
The KPL is incredibly tight at the top. Just 13 points separates Wells at the top from Sandwich in 6th place. Despite the fact that Minster have won just four of their eight matches, they are just six points from leading and with the wealth of talent at their disposal it would be a brave man to back against them. In their 8 wicket defeat of Lordswood yesterday, they had all their pros, Ed Moore, Aron Nijjar and Laurie Evans, playing. Add to those three the likes of ex Kent player James Hockley and the other seven who have all played county 2s and they do have an embarrassment of well funded riches. Money talks as they say.
we won by 9 runs
Boffin (having picked up some end of year prizes at school, no interest mrs went) had a pupils v teachers “hundred’ match .
last years 20 over game took too long and was won comfortably by the teachers , this took 3.5 hours yesterday ffs
this year the first Xl have this as their only fixture because they can’t get a proper team out.
they’re so bad my son opened , top scored with a quick predominantly pulled to leg side 44 and the kids got 169 teachers with a 90 from their only genuine still playing player got to 160 .
look where there wasn’t a fielder and put the ball there no matter which type of delivery was bowled to him.
This is, of course, ZERO knock on our lot whatsoever. We've known from the get go that this would be a transitional year, but it's proving to be tough mudding even so.
Now I know that umpiring is not easy at times, but I can honestly say that never in my career has a player been recalled once I've given him or her out.
Good luck to both teams in this upcoming six-pointer!
Bickley won the toss and elected to bat. One would have imagined that 153-1 off 34 overs as being a great platform but, actually, it should have almost certainly been more than that especially as the second change bowler was not meant to be bowling in the first place. Normally a bowler of lively pace, he had sustained a side strain a couple of weeks ago and was told not to bowl for another couple of weeks but was forced into action following the demise of Folkestone's overseas and could barely turn his arm over at a speed a good few notches short of military medium. The final 16 overs resulted in a bit of smash and panic and returned 95-8 including a hat trick off the final three balls of the innings from their opening bowler.
So 249 for Folkestone to win and even without their injured star they did so by 6 wickets with 8 balls to spare. Their captain and opener set the tone with an inventive if, at times, streaky, 69 off 67 balls and it was left to the old pro, one James Tredwell, to see them home with 49 not out off 46 balls aided at the finish by Mr Side Strain with an undefeated 17 off 11. If I were to describe Bickley's fielding, at times, as "average", you can assume that I am being rather kind.
A second bad day at the office for Bickley this season. They should have managed to get another 20 or so runs with the bat and their fielding cost them that many again. Certainly not terminal because they are still top but they cannot afford too many more like this if they do want to go up. And with a very small squad they are going to be hit by absences as the season progresses. Next week is Canterbury who are now breathing down Bickley's neck having managed a four match winning streak.
Bickley elected to bat and at just over the half way stage the home side looked like they would cement their place at the top. With the aid of DLS Bickley set a very competitive target of 230 off 39 overs thanks to Imtiaz's third and most impressive tons of the season (105* off 109), aided by Hooper (43) and 44 off 34 from Mevada.
Two early wickets from Darroch and Canterbury were in trouble at 10-2. But from that point onwards the likes of opener Wheeler (50 off 34), skipper Taig (70 off 86), Rutherford (34) and Davis (32) saw Canterbury home by 4 wickets with 11 balls to spare.
So Bickley are now back in the pack, albeit still top by a single point. A couple of weeks ago they looked likely Championship winners but there are question marks about their promotion credentials now especially as they have any number of players missing in weeks to come.
The real surprise in the division is Whitstable who, having won their first three matches, are now bottom, having lost seven games on the bounce. On paper, they have some very good players with the likes of Byron "Buzz" Gould, Liam Tegg, Sam and Jaydn Denly, Harry Fulton and his Dad, Dave, who played for the ones yesterday. That said, such is the nature of the Championship, any team is capable of beating another and it wouldn't be a shock if they managed to string some wins together again.
In the first game between the sides, Seb broke his thumb dropping a diving catch at point from a square cut by former Kent Academy player Isaac Dilkes. Seb got his revenge in that game when he caught Dilkes at square leg with said broken thumb from a switch hit. Yesterday, Dilkes, having made a single, decided to pick Seb out on the midwicket boundary and the ball was comfortably pouched. In the immortal words of Meatloaf, "two out of three ain't bad" but I'm sure that Seb would like to be given the chance to play against Dilkes most weeks - they are the only three opportunities he's had to take a catch all season!