Sandwich Town beat reigning Kent Cricket League Premier Division champions by eight wickets; Bexley, Lordswood, Tunbridge Wells and St Lawrence & Highland Court also win

A fine bowling performance guided Sandwich Town to an eight-wicket win over reigning Kent League Premier Division champions Hayes on Saturday.

Kent’s Alex Blake, captaining the hosts, top scored (55) but Hayes were all out for 140 in the 35th over. Rory Smith (3-21) and opening bowler Alex Smith (3-27) doing most of the work.

Wicketkeeper Ben Chapman struck an unbeaten 65 in Sandwich’s successful reply to get them over the line with plenty to spare.

It leaves Hayes surprisingly second-bottom - albeit after only four league fixtures.

The three teams level at the top of the table, Tunbridge Wells, Lordswood and Bexley, were victorious.

Tunbridge Wells claimed a four-wicket win at Sevenoaks Vine.

Chris Williams (2-33) was best with the ball in Sevenoaks’ 239-6, Michael Cowdrey (50) top scoring before Sahil Shah blasted a 22-ball 39 not out, which included a six and five fours, to provide some late impetus.

Williams set the tone for Tunbridge Wells’ reply thanks to a 34-ball 63 while Ben Dawkins (85 not out) and captain Sam Smith (59) also posted half-centuries. Chris Vernon’s 2-33 saw him finish with Sevenoaks’ best figures.

Lordswood beat Blackheath by 69 runs.

Joe Gordon’s 69-ball 83 helped them reach 245 all out despite opening bowler Arafat Bhuyian (3-29), who recently signed professional terms at Kent, doing well again.

Opener Tejpal Birdi (30) helped the away side get off to a reasonable start, only for Lordswood overseas Thando Ntini (3-34) - the son of ex-Kent player Makhaya Ntini - to do the business as Blackheath could only total 176 all out.

Bexley presently top the pile, narrowly ahead of Lordswood and Tunbridge Wells, after a comfortable triumph at early-season bottom side Holmesdale.

Batting first, they