Sandwich Town win Kent Cricket League Premier Division opener by one run against Holmesdale but all other fixtures fall foul of weather

The Kent Cricket League Premier Division’s opening weekend was almost a washout with four out of five fixtures abandoned.

Bexley’s match at home to St Lawrence & Highland Court, Blackheath’s clash against last year’s runners-up, Minster, champions Hayes’ game with Sevenoaks Vine and the Tunbridge Wells versus Lordswood match were all weather beaten.

However Sandwich’s game against newly-promoted Holmesdale was a cracker that went down to the wire, with the hosts holding on for victory by one run despite an impressive 134 not out by Leo Carter.

Holmesdale won the toss, skipper Anthony Bissett electing to field, but with the score 59-2 Town’s Zack Fagg steadied the ship, putting on 104 for the third wicket alongside James Bazley, who hit three sixes in his 58.

Fagg’s was the fourth wicket to fall, the opener finishing on 71, leaving No.8 Tom Burnap to add a useful 31 from 38 balls after coming in with the score on 194-6. Sandwich were all out for 270 after 47.1 overs with James Poulsom taking 3-36 as six Dale bowlers claimed wickets.

Carter entered the fray with his side at 31-2, hitting 11 fours and four sixes in his unbeaten ton. No.3 William Harby was the visitors’ next-best batsman, with 72, but the rest of the order failed to fire and Carter ran out of overs two runs short of victory on 269-7. James Bazley and Alex Smith took two wickets each.