Tonbridge CC Match Reports 2015
Congratulations to both the 1st XI and the 2nd XI


1st XI : Runners-up in the Kent Regional Cricket League Premier Division
and therefore promoted to the Kent Cricket League Division 5
2nd XI : Runners-up in the Kent Regional Cricket League Division 2A
West but missing out on promotion by 1 point
1st XI
2ndXI
Match Reports - most recent first
5th Sept
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Hollingbourne CC 1st XI 203 for 5 (46 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 1st XI 185 (39 overs)
Number eleven, Martin Batley, secured promotion for Tonbridge 1st XI in a nail biting finish to their momentous season
following a trip to third place Hollingbourne on Saturday.
To set the scene Tonbridge were 15 points clear of Hollingbourne so this was in effect a straight shoot-out for
promotion. Knowing that they only required 6 points, Tonbridge skipper Julius Marshall went against his usual tactics
after winning the toss and elected to field first on a murky day in Kent.
As a bowling unit, Tonbridge knew that restricting Hollingbourne and picking up regular wickets was going to be key in
ensuring back to back promotions. Opening bowlers Martin Batley and Matt Smiles bowled consistently without
reward. Between them their first spells read 11 overs for 33, and on a day where Hollingbourne needed a big total, the
pressure quickly started to build. Their excellent work was continued by Jayden Wiggins, who himself bowled an
excellent line and length to build pressure. Although Wiggins would also not get any wickets himself, his continued
spell of restricting the batsmen did contribute to the wickets that soon fell. Nadeem Shehzad (3 for 44) came on up the
hill and soon had the breakthrough as he bowled Neil Taylor for 24. The next spell of the game showed why
Tonbridge had led the league for many weeks early in the season. Batsmen 3, 4 and 5 did not manage a run between
them as Shehzad, and the left arm spin of his brother Khurram (2 for 35), left Hollingbourne struggling as they went
from 59 for 1 to 67 for 4. Opening batsmen Ian Playfoot was in danger of being stranded at the other end until he
received a small contribution from R. Raye (9). When Raye was dismissed at 119 for 5 the game could have easily
slipped away from the home side. However Robbie Palmer gave his captain some much needed support, helping
consolidate the innings before a late charge. The two of them put on an unbeaten 84 as they dragged Hollingbourne
back into the race for 2nd. Playfoot ended the innings on 119 not out and without him you would suspect that
Hollingbourne would not have got anywhere near their total of 203 for 5.
At tea it was quickly calculated that Tonbridge would require just 144 runs to secure promotion, but did not get off to
the best start with opener Paul Smiles dismissed for just 1 in the third over. Skipper Marshall started off watchfully and
was allowed to do so by the counter attacking innings of Michael Topham. Topham’s 28 came in no time at all but was
unfortunately bowled with the score at just 31. Overseas Wiggins joined Marshall and between them they started to
count their way down to the magic number. Marshall took advantage of a small boundary and smashed five sixes on
his way to a sizeable contribution. It was Wiggins who was unfortunately dismissed next (25) playing a lose shot to the
leg spin of Pritchard. Tonbridge had made their way to 100 for 3 and the odds of promotion were hugely in their
favour, however after Marshall was caught for 61, Tonbridge’s middle order did not stand up to the task at hand.
Tonbridge lost 6 wickets for just 42 runs leaving the score on a perilous 142-9 (2 required). Martin Batley (who hadn’t
scored a league run since the 4th July) strode out to the crease knowing that the fate of the team was now on his
shoulders. This however did not faze him as the cut his first ball for two leaving the rest of the team in hysteria on the
boundary. Batley and Ben Peters made the art of batting look very simple in the end as they blundered their way to 23
and 22* respectively. When Batley was eventually dismissed they had taken the score onto 185 and promotion well
and truly secured.
Tonbridge 1st XI are therefore promoted out of the Kent Regional Leagues and in to Kent Division 5 and will hope to
make it three promotions in a row after a well-deserved winter break.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 159 for 8 (46 overs) vs Dartford CC 4th XI 100 (34.5 overs)
A tough contest on Saturday ended with a victorious Tonbridge gaining maximum 20 points but agonisingly missing
out from being crowned Champions by 1 point as they were pipped at the post by their close rivals Dartfordians. Only
by virtue of having a game cancelled at Pembury earlier in the season did Tonbridge miss out having amassed
an amazing 330 points compounded by the fact they had beaten the champions twice in the season.
Skipper David Blain lost the toss and was put in on a very wet pitch assisting the seamers who all bowled well in the
conditions. Blain and Matt Wiggins have topped the averages this year in excellent seasons but Blain then Jake
Rossiter went early before Wiggins looked aggressive with a hard hit 28. He was caught and quickly following his
dismissal Kurusala went for 0 leaving Tonbridge 40-4 with the bowlers dominating. Veteran John Simmons steadied
the ship and a strong partnership with Nick Helyar saw these two blunt the attack and with a mixture of sharp running
and selective hitting add 59 before Helyar went stumped for an invaluable 23. Steve Allen (19) then hit some clean
boundaries before Simmons went for a top score of 46 chasing his fifty. Tony Shepherd (12) and Nilesh Patel (13) got
Town to a respectable 159-8 by the close in difficult batting conditions. Chopra (3-23), Gamage who was unlucky &
Steel (3-41) all had excellent spells.
Dartford in turn found batting and scoring runs equally tough against the accuracy of Shepherd and the seasons
leading wicket taker Patel who soon had his 52nd scalp of a superb season. Only Scarth (29) reached double figures
as the strong Town attack strangled the batsmen. Shepherd got his reward with 3-29 from 12 excellent overs but the
star of the show was Helyar. Patel was bravely taken off and Helyar immediately looked dangerous and had several
chances put down in the outfield but soon got his reward. Clean bowling three of his victims and grabbing the
dangerous Gamage well caught low down at cover by Rossiter, Helyar destroyed the middle and lower orders
producing a seasons best of 6-19 to ensure a victorious end to a great season. The win by 59 runs against good
opponents did not however sweeten the pill of missing out on the championship prize by a single point.
29th August
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Tonbridge CC 1st XI 149 for 8 (33 overs) vs Blackheath Wanderers City of London CC
1st XI 183 for 9 (33 overs)
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI - League Match - Hayes (Kent) CC 4th XI conceded match vs Tonbridge CC 2nd XI
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Friendly - Little Chart CC 1st XI 80 (33 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 198 for 4 (27.5
overs)
22nd August
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Tonbridge CC 1st XI 232 for 9 (46 overs) vs Bexley CC 3rd XI 187 for 8 (46 overs)
Tonbridge 1st XI require just 16 points from their final two league games to guarantee promotion after a relatively
comfortable win against Bexley 3rd XI at the weekend.
On one of the hottest days of the year it was not a great surprise when home skipper Julius Marshall won the toss and
elected to bat. With a conservative effort to leave wickets in hand for the latter part of the innings, Tonbridge’s top
order started slowly. Marshall and Paul Smiles saw off the new ball before taking the score to 50 before the first wicket
fell - Marshall (37), LBW. The rest of Tonbridge’s innings continued where he had left off. The majority of batsmen
getting themselves in before playing a range of shots saw Tonbridge build a fine innings. Notable contributions
included Michael Topham (37) and Jayden Wiggins (45) before once again the platform was there for Khurram
Shehzad’s (27) late order hitting. All in all it was a decent effort from Tonbridge and a score of 232-9 off their 46 overs
would normally be more than enough with the bowling attack at their disposal.
Bexley’s reply started off poorly with opener Castleton caught in the slip cordon off of Martin Batley for just 2. Bexley
looked to rebuild, and with the help of some wayward bowling, were able to do. Opening batsmen Mike Maietta batted
nicely pouncing on any balls that back of a length. It soon came clear that it was Maietta would have to bat long if
Bexley were going to get close to the win. Unfortunately for them, Tonbridge’s depth in bowling once again proved
how devastating it can be in the league that they are currently in. Nadeem Shehzad dismissed Maietta (68) shortly
after his introduction before an excellent spell of 1-36 from 12. Because of the excellent condition of the wicket, this
was arguably the spell that won Tonbridge the game. N Shehzad was as ever supported superbly by his brother K
Shehzad who himself bowled wonderfully for his 3-43. If truth be told most of the Tonbridge bowlers bowled tight lines
to good fields and would not let Bexley gain any momentum in the middle overs and this ultimately saw them fall short
of their target. Tonbridge were however unable to take the final two wickets as Bexley ended the innings on 187-8,
despite the best efforts of Wiggins (3-23).
With just two games to go and their promotion aspirations well and truly in their own hands, the extra point should
hopefully not come back to haunt Tonbridge who will hope to secure promotion next week when they host Blackheath
Wanderers, who themselves will be full of confidence after hitting 467-6 in their win at the weekend.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – NatWest CC 2nd XI 73 (29.2 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 75 for 0 (12 overs)
15th August
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Shooters Hill CC 1st XI 117 (31.5 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 1st XI 236 for 9 (46 overs)
Tonbridge 1st XI extended the gap between themselves and third place Hollingbourne with a resounding 119 run
victory at Shooters Hill.
Following two days of heavy rain, it was unsurprising that Shooters Hill elected to bowl on a green surface in South
London. Despite the wicket, the start of Tonbridge’s innings actually saw positive signs. Most of the top order were
able to get in and settled before getting out and therefore Tonbridge knew that seeing off the new ball would be key to
posting a decent score. That is exactly what they did. Opening bowlers Pope (4-47) and Raghvani (2-40) tested
Tonbridge with the new ball, but after that some wayward bowling with a ball that had stopped swinging around was
punished. Michael Topham started the heavy hitting with a composed 48 and he was joined by Chirag Patel who
smashed his way to 57. Zach Rossiter carried on where they had left off with a quick fire 28 and some late hitting from
Khurram Shehzad (18) saw Tonbridge post a very respectable 236-9.
Tonbridge always have faith in their bowlers to defend totals but still knew that some early wickets were needed to
swing the odds massively in their favour. Opening pair Matt Smiles (2-20) and Martin Batley (1-39) dismissed the top 3
early on leaving Shooters Hill was a mountain to climb. Khurram Shehzad (1-31) also picked up a wicket before his
brother Nadeem Shehzad did what he does best. Quick, full, and consistently straight bowling saw no reply from the
Shooters Hill batsmen and Shehzad finished the game off by removing the tail in double quick time. Only Raghvani
(46) showed any resistance, but Shehzad prevailed in the end removing Raghvani on his way to figures of 6-17.
It was a good day for the 1st XI as other results meant that they now have a 35 point gap in second place. Two wins
from their final three games will be enough to secure promotion and they will be hoping to start their final push when
they entertain Bexley next.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 130 for 9 (41.4 overs) vs Dartfordians CC 2nd XI 127 (38.4 overs)
8th August
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Tonbridge CC 1st XI 155 (43.3 overs) vs Frindsbury CC 1st XI 192 for 7 (46 overs)
Tonbridge 1st XI’s promotion spot is now under severe threat from the chasing pack following their weekend defeat to
top of the table Frindsbury.
Frindsbury won the toss and elected to bat on a wonderful summer’s day and got off to a steady start. Both Josh
Duane and Sam Collis batted with care and consideration in the early part of the innings. On what appeared to be a
flat deck and with little movement in the air, Tonbridge attempted to squeeze Frindsbury and try and force a mistake.
Some tight bowling by first change Wiggins and K Shehzad meant runs were drying up and when Duane played hit
and run to the covers, Collis (20) was ran out by a fair distance. Duane (17) did not last much longer after this and just
two overs later chipped Wiggins straight to Marshall at mid-wicket. In truth no Frindsbury batsmen really found their
rhythm due to the tight lines of the Tonbridge bowlers. The pick of the middle order bowlers was N Shehzad with 3-26
from 8. Despite not picking up runs freely, Frindsbury did however keep some wickets in hand for the end meaning
that when captain Sam Dudgeon came to bat he was free to chance his arm. This tactic certainly paid off as Dudgeon
hit his way to 69 not out taking the score to 192-7 from their 46 overs. The score could have been in excess of 200 if it
was not for some tight death bowling. Wiggins returned and finished with figures of 3-45 from 11.
Tonbridge’s innings was not one that will live long in the memory as only four batsmen managed to get into double
figures. Jayden Wiggins, who seems to be holding almost every innings together by himself, scored an impressive 67
as wickets tumbled around him. Some late hitting by K Shehzad (23) and Ben Peters (18) gave Tonbridge a slight
chance to pull off an unlikely victory but truth be told, Tonbridge were out of the game quite early on. Bowler Chris
Mumford dismissed both of Tonbridge’s openers for a combined score of 10 and when Topham was controversially
given out caught behind for 8, the mountain to climb became even steeper. An LBW, a catch and four run outs later
ripped Tonbridge’s middle order leaving Peters and Shehzad to attempt the impossible. A valiant effort by both saw
Tonbridge pick up what could prove to be some vital bonus points come the end of the season.
With just four games to go Tonbridge know that they must improve their batting quickly if they are to continue their rise
up the leagues.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – R A C S CC 2nd XI 72 (26.1 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 191 for 9 (46 overs)
Skipper David Blain won the toss and decided to take first bat on a helpful bowlers wicket that deteriorated during the
afternoon at the Metrogas RACS ground. He went early holing out at cover off a poor delivery but Tonbridge's leading
run scorer Matt Wiggins continued his consistent form and looked very solid for a good 34. Jake Rossiter carried on
his belligerent hitting from last week with a powerful 32 before departing and Tony Shepherd (12) went early but Nick
Helyar provided the backbone of the innings. He was watchful in defence whilst waiting patiently for any bad balls and
put them away with alacrity across the enormous outfield. With tennis ball bounce and prodigious spin it was hard
work but Helyar reached a great 50 as Town lost late wickets in a bid to score quick runs but accumulated a sound
191-9 by the close of the 46th over. Meadowcroft and Sam O'Neill (4-40) being the pick of the home bowlers.
Tonbridge have been on a long winning streak and were confident that their strong bowling attack would make inroads
on a crumbling pitch. Shepherd was soon sending the top three back to the pavilion in quick time either bowled or lbw.
The star bowler this year however has been the impressive Nilseh Patel and in another relentless display of accuracy
and control he ripped out five RACS batsmen who had little answer to the classy medium pacer. Patel ended with
excellent figures of 12 overs, 5-17 bowling four victims and assisted by a top quality low catch at short mid-off by Nigel
Johnstone. After a protracted spell of 9 overs Shepherd (3-30) was rested but there was little respite when Town can
call on the quality of change bowlers such as Wiggins and Helyar. They made short work of the tail taking a wicket
each with Blain gratefully pouching the final catch at slip and only Martin (29) offering any resistance. RACS were
dismissed for 72 and Tonbridge ran out winners by 119 runs to maintain the relentless pursuit of the league leaders
and still ruing the recent cancelled fixture at Pembury which lost them invaluable points.
1st August
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – The Roebucks CC 1st XI 173 (35.4 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 1st XI 175 for 9 (46 overs)
Tonbridge 1st XI won away at The Roebucks 1st XI by 2 runs in an enthralling game on Saturday. The Roebucks won
the toss and decided to field and the decision to do so was quickly justified. Skipper Julius Marshall (8) and Chirag
Patel (0) were dismissed in the space of 4 balls by opener Rob Bushell (3-48) to leave Tonbridge 21-2. Opener Paul
Smiles, who has recently regained some good form at the top of the order, and overseas Jayden Wiggins went about
seeing off the new ball and did so in a patient manner.
With the score starting to tick over nicely, The Roebucks introduced the tall left arm spin of Sanath (1-20). On a pitch
that offered variable bounce and some serious spin, Sanath bowled a probing line and dismissed Smiles (LBW) for 30.
At the other end Peter Clinton’s slow medium paced induced some poor shots from Tonbridge’s middle order with
Matt Smiles (15), Zach Rossiter (2) and Chait Kurusala (1) all caught off of his bowling. Clinton finishing with decent
figures of 4-53. An unfortunate mix up between Wiggins (64) and Khurram Shehzad saw Wiggins run out and despite
some late hefty blows by Shehzad (27), Tonbridge finished their innings on a below par 175-9.
Tonbridge knew that early wickets were going to be key and opener Edward Livett was bowled in the first over of the
reply by Matt Smiles (2-28). Jayden Wiggins (2-26) soon got in on the act himself bowling number 3 Ben White for 5 to
give Tonbridge the perfect start. After seeing the spin and variable bounce on offer in the first innings, skipper
Marshall introduced Ben Peters (1-23) and Nadeem Shehzad (1-21) and despite both picking up wickets, it was
Tonbridge’s own left arm spinner Khurram Shehzad who ripped through the heart of middle order on his way to figures
of 3-27. With 40 needed but only 2 wickets left, Tonbridge appeared to have the win in their grasp. However, opening
batsmen Peter Clinton and number 10 Sanath had different ideas and went about chasing down the total that they had
personally restricted Tonbridge to. Some big sixes from Santh complimented the measured strokes of Clinton and
soon enough The Roebucks had reduced the runs required to just 10 with the 2 wickets still remaining. Marshall at this
point reintroduced the pace of Smiles and Wiggins. Smiles’ first ball back went for 4 leaving just one hit to win the
game. Sanath threw everything he had at the next ball only to get under it too much smashing high into the sky.
Unfortunately for Sanath (28) the ball was dropping straight to Nadeem Shehzad at cover who, with the customary
removal of his sun hat, easily held on to the catch. With some tight bowling and excellent fielding, Tonbridge managed
to keep number 11 Perera on strike for the next over. Knowing that this was the chance to snatch the win, Wiggins
came tearing in and 4 balls later produced the perfect yorker to bowl Perara leaving Clinton stranded at the other end
for an excellent 76 not out.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 279 for 8 (46 overs) vs Bromley Common CC 4th XI 147 (33 overs)
Tonbridge 2nd XI enjoyed another excellent afternoon against opponents Bromley Common recording their highest
league score of the season to win by 132 runs. On a superb batting track at Poplar Meadow, Tonbridge elected to bat
first but after the loss of an early wicket a superb stand between the ever improving Matt Wiggins with a hard hit 60
and stand in skipper Jake Rossiter with his seasons best of 85 blazed the way for big total. Bromley Common mixed
the bowling in an effort to stem the runs but even the league’s leading wicket taker Dave Williams with 50 wickets
already this year got hit all around the ground. Wiggins was frustrated to get out stumped as he came down the track
for another big hit but Rossiter continued blazing away with some huge sixes as a number of balls were lost. He was
well supported, initially by John Simmons (29), then by a sweetly timed cameo of 41 from Steve Allen and a brutal 40
by Tony Shepherd who took advantage of the tiring attack, fast outfield and a hot afternoon. Another six by Joe
Williams sent the total to 279-7 by the close with Rossiter's excellent innings being the cornerstone.
Bromley Common immediately lost early wickets and realised they had a tough fight on their hands. The destroyer in
chief was once again the outstanding Nilesh Patel following his 6 wickets in his previous league game. He bowled
both openers for 0 and it was only the experience of Steve Geere who batted through most of the innings with calm
assurity for 47 that held the innings together. Soon Nick Helyar and Tony Shepherd (2-29) were bowling at their best
and gave the visitors no respite. Rajakanthan attacked and hit some blistering boundaries before Helyar bowled him
with a superb yorker for 29. Patel (5-24) bowled two more batsmen for 0 to continue his remarkable sequence
finishing with another 5 wicket haul before Helyar (3-30) removed top scorer Geere and veteran Williams. Shepherd
removed the last man for Tonbridge to run out winners by 132 runs and gain maximum 20 points.
23rd July
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Tonbridge CC 1st XI 220 (40.5 overs) vs Gravesend RF CC 1st XI 118 (32.1 overs)
Tonbridge picked up their third convincing win on the trot with a 145 run victory against bottom placed Gravesend RF.
Put into bat, Tonbridge lost their skipper early on, but Paul Smiles and Michael Topham did well against some good
tight bowling from the visitors. Topham in particular found a fluent stroke, hitting some fluent cover drives, and an
elegant straight six. Smiles also found his timing, playing some good cut strokes, before being removed by Navjot
Singh for 25. This brought the in-form Jayden Wiggins to the crease, but he watched on as Topham continued to
cause damage and reach his second fifty of the season. Just as Wiggins began to look in good touch, he was given
out LBW, although everyone us watching listening knew that there was a lot of bat involved. Matt Smiles came in and
almost shared the same LBW fate, but the Gravesend RF players were very sporting in calling him back as the bat
again was very obvious. He would go on to score 24 before being bowled by Manvir Singh. From 196 for 5, Town had
a bit of a collapse, and Singh was the main bowler to benefit. He picked up the key wicket of Topham for an excellent
93, and made his way through the tail, finishing with 5 for 48. Only Chaitanya Kurusala showed any late fight with a
fluid 21, but Tonbridge were bowled all out for 22 with over five over remaining.
Given the extra overs to reach the target, Gravesend RF started slowly, knowing that they didn’t need to play any rash
shots. It was to be a day of edges though, and mainly from the end of Matt Smiles. Bowling with pace and bounce, the
visiting batsmen struggled to time the ball, and the slip cordon were able to oblige. Bowling 12 overs straight, Smiles
pace never fell as he picked up 5 for 28. The only batsman to get into double figures was Paramdeep Singh, but it was
all off the edge when swinging hard for his 16. Nadeem Shahzad was hard to get off the square and returned figures
of 2 for 16, with Martin Batley and Khurram Shehzad picking up one apiece. The game ended with a sharp run out
from Julius Marshall as Tonbridge again picked up the win.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Pembury CC 2nd XI vs Tonbridge CC 2nd XI
‘Waterlogged ground’ ………………..
18th July
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – High Halstow CC 1st XI 214 for 7 (46 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 1st XI 288 for 5 (46 overs)
Tonbridge continued their momentum towards promotion with a strong 74 run victory.
Winning the toss, skipper Julius Marshall elected to bat on a very firm surface which was basking in glorious sunshine.
The skipper, together with fellow opener Paul Smiles, got off to a flying start, with boundaries coming regularly.
Marshall in particular was in top form, and the home side struggled to keep his big hitting at bay as he reached his first
league fifty of the season. Just as Smiles was hitting his stride, he was caught at backward point for 26 off the bowling
of Harrison Hume. Hume then accounted for Michael Topham soon after. Jayden Wiggins, who has been in excellent
form recently, joined Marshall at the crease, and together they began to mix the odd boundary with some fine running
between the wickets. With Marshall approaching his maiden league ton, he went for a big hit and got caught off the
bowling of Paul Belsey, but his 97 set the tone for the innings. Belsey soon had his second wicket, but this brought
Ben Morgan to the crease. With the score on 170 for 4 with ten overs to go, both batsmen were keen to push
themselves hard, and hit big shots when possible. Wiggins soon passed his 50, and after hitting his first six of the
innings, he was bowled by Belsey (3 for 85) for 69. Unfortunately for High Halstow, Morgan was on top form, and,
after hitting two big sixes, soon reached his first league fifty of the season. Not content there, he pushed hard in the
last couple of overs to reach 70 not out, and help take the team to 288 for 5.
High Halstow started slowly, finding Wiggins and Martin Batley hard to get off the square. Wiggins was soon in the
wickets, removing Tyler Dockwray and Hamad Ul Hassan for single figure scores. After this point the home side
showed no real determination to score the runs, or keep up with the required run rate. Tonbridge found wickets hard to
find until Khurram Shehzad removed David Sibley for 43. Ben Peters removed Bkahta Das for 22, but the pair of
Adam Colegate and Jamie Kingbrook frustrated the visitors. The ball regularly passed the bat, but no edges were
coming. With eight overs left, and too many runs to chase, the pair began to hit out with a good degree of success.
Wiggins and Batley came back to try and pick up some more wickets, with the latter removing Colegate for 54, and
Wiggins taking two more to finish with 4 for 49. Town were unable to take the last few wickets needed for maximum
points, although the negativity in the run chase certainly didn’t aid their cause. Tonbridge ran out convincing winners
and took home 18 points.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 244 for 7 (46 overs) vs Blackheath CC 6th XI 14 (14.1 overs)
History was made on Saturday at Poplar Meadow when Tonbridge 2 nd XI bowled out the opposition from Blackheath
for just 14 runs (fourteen) with Nilesh Patel taking a superb 7 wickets for 6 runs.
Tonbridge enjoyed the club's best ever bowling performance since the War and possibly in the club's 214 year
existence since they were founded in 1801. It also proved to be one of the club's largest ever wins by a remarkable
230 runs.
Zach Rossiter
(Maiden half-century)
Nilesh Patel
(7 overs, 5 maidens, 6 runs, 7 wickets)
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI
A supercharged Tonbridge looked to gain revenge against good opponents who earlier in the season had inflicted a
rare defeat by a single run on their hosts.
Blackheath were blown away in just 14 overs with the opening seam attack of Nilesh Patel, backed strongly by Tony
Shepherd, proving to be an unstoppable force. Patel struck with his first ball as opener Ward snicked a catch to
keeper John Smiles as he aimed to drive. Patel went on to clean bowl four more batsmen and Steve Allen held onto a
chance to give him victim number six. Shepherd meanwhile gave no respite at the other end picking up two wickets
also clean bowled before Allen assisted again with a smart stop and swift throw to run out top scorer Williams for 6.
Blackheath recorded seven ducks in the remarkable scoreline before Patel fittingly held on to a sharp caught & bowled
chance to collect his seventh victim for mere 6 runs - his final analysis reading 7 overs, 5 maidens, 6 runs, 7 wickets in
an astonishing display. Shepherd finished with seven overs 2-8.
The game had earlier been set up by a solid batting display against a strong Blackheath bowling attack. The perfect
super-fast outfield however gave maximum reward to anything that went past the infield and patient Tonbridge batting,
after the initial loss of in-form skipper David Blain and Jake Rossiter, led to a superb 110 partnership between Matt
Wiggins and Zach Rossiter. Both batsmen were watchful in defence but hit strongly anything pitched up or short and
with great timing the score slowly climbed. Wiggins went for a classy 68 and Rossiter reached his first league 50,
punctuated with crisply timed drives, before eventually falling for an excellent 61. Nick Helyar then continued the run
gathering with a well-made 33 before Tony Shepherd joined in the fun clubbing boundaries and a big six to see off a
tiring Blackheath who never gave up. Town reached 244-7 by the close and then came the incredible bowling display
from Patel and the record 14 all out.
It was a remarkable afternoon as earlier Tonbridge had unveiled a new boundary rope and seat dedicated to the
memory of their long time club favourite Ron Helyar and it proved to be a fitting way for the club to celebrate.
John Simmons, who has played for over 40 years, commented afterwards that in living memory this was the lowest
total in league or any other cricket Tonbridge had been involved in - the previous best for Tonbridge being 29 against
Sherwood about 10 years ago.
Tonbridge ran out winners by a massive margin of 230 runs, another record!
11th July
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Tonbridge CC 1st XI 246 for 5 (46 overs) vs Horton Kirby CC 1st XI 145 (42.4 overs)
Tonbridge bounced back from a disappointing defeat the previous weekend with a convincing 101 run victory.
The visitors put Julius Marshall’s men into bat, hoping to put Tonbridge under pressure early on. The decision paid off
straight away as Khurram Shehzad, promoted after his 106 the day before in the T20, was bowled for just 3. Skipper
Marshall joined Paul Smiles at the crease, with both effective in putting the bad balls away, until the former was
caught from a leading edge off Kevin Cullern (2 for 31). Jayden Wiggins was the new man at the crease, and from the
moment he reached the middle he looked in form. Boundaries flowed, and Smiles also began to look more and more
comfortable at the crease. With the score almost at 100 before drinks, Smiles was run out for a dogged 24.
Michael Topham hit a lovely six in his quick fire 14, and Chirag Patel showed signs of early season form with a
powerful 31, but it was Wiggins that would take the plaudits on the day. As he swiftly moved through the gears, the
Kiwi had a little moment in the 80s where runs looked hard to come by, but some powerful late hitting took him to his
ton. Well supported at the end by Matt Smiles (22 not out), the pair but on 48 in under five overs, with Wiggins
finishing on 113 not out. Tonbridge finished on a season’s best 246.
Knowing the runs would need to be scored quickly, Darren Bull (18) came out firing, but was soon back in the pavilion
after being well bowled by Martin Batley. His fellow opener, Ben Holman (26) took more time to settle at the crease,
and watched as various partners were dismissed by Khurram Shehzad. The left arm spinner has been in great form all
season, and did not give any width at all to the visiting batsmen. Grip and turn was the name of the game, and he
found it in abundance, finishing the day with 4 for 18. Once the game was beyond them, Kirby tried to make wickets
difficult, and showed no ambition to reach the total. Ben Peters proved to be an excellent foil for Shehzad and bowled
very well for his solitary wicket, although he deserved more. The skipper threw the ball to Chirag Patel, and it proved
to be an excellent decision. Two quick wickets fell, including that of Tom Samuels for 26, although Patel will have to
thank Wiggins and Nadeem Shahzad for two excellent catches. Patel (4 for 13) took two wickets in two balls at the
end of his fourth over, but will have to wait until this weekend to complete the hat trick. A returning Shehzad took the
final wicket courtesy of a sharp stumping from Michael Topham, and completed a comprehensive victory for the home
side.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Horton Kirby CC 2nd XI 159 (45 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 216 for 8 (46 overs)
An excellent team performance on Saturday away at Horton Kirby saw Tonbridge 2nd XI demonstrate their all-round
prowess with an emphatic 57 run victory. Electing to bat, Skipper David Blain and Matt Wiggins showed maturity and
great shot selection as they combated low bounce and early loose bowling to give Town a great start putting on a 70
run opening partnership. The ball raced across the hard dry outfield until Wootten and Bull stemmed the flow and
made the pair work hard for their reward. Wiggins went for a solidly made 36 and Chait Kurusala joined Blain to
continue the flow of runs against good bowling. Blain surprisingly went immediately after raising his bat for a very good
50 and Kurusala was caught trying to complete a maiden club fifty for an excellent 48. Nick Helyar hit a quick 19 with
good contributions from Steve Allen, Tony Shepherd and Jake Rossiter with 16 not out to take Tonbridge to 216-8.
At full strength this week skipper Blain had plenty of bowling options and Tonbridge were soon in the wickets. Opening
with the pace of Rossiter, who bowled and excellent 8 over spell taking 2-25 featuring an athletic leaping cover catch
from Kurusala, and the consistency of Helyar who picked up 2-26, Horton Kirby were soon on the ropes.
Further wickets from Nilesh Patel and Tony Shepherd who toiled with great effort and had several chances put down
ensured Tonbridge were always going to win this encounter. if it hadn't been for opener Paul Geear, who batted
flawlessly hitting all round the ground if any opportunity presented itself, the game would have ended far earlier. As it
was Horton Kirby found themselves with two wickets standing going into the last over. Having tried 8 bowlers Patel
was given the task of obtaining maximum points and he didn't disappoint as he firstly bowled the valiant Gear for a
wonderful 95 going for his hundred and then bowled last man Bull with just one ball left.
Patel finished with an excellent 4-20 from 10 overs with Shepherd 2-35 as the opposition were all out 159.
4th July
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Tonbridge CC 1st XI 176 (40.1 overs) vs Hollingbourne CC 1st XI 231 for 3 (46 overs)
Tonbridge suffered a disappointing loss which has dropped them out of the promotion places at the turn of the season.
The visitors won the toss and elected to bat on a hard looking wicket at Poplar Meadow. From the beginning, the
opening pair of Neil Taylor and skipper Ian Playfoot looked to punish the bad ball, and boundaries were coming in
pairs. Taylor in particular looked lethal against anything short, while Playfoot was keen to play every ball on its merit.
The breakthrough finally came with the score closing in on 100, with Matt Smiles brilliantly running out Taylor for 29.
South African Dale Kinsey came to the crease and began where Taylor had left off, hitting the bad balls, and for
Tonbridge they were way too frequent. Nadeem Shahzad’s introduction saw Kinsey removed for 25, and when
Khurram Shehzad accounted for Andy Griffiths for 0, the home side found themselves in a far better position.
However, Playfoot continued to look dangerous, and the imposing Robbie Palmer was keen to use his power from ball
one. So big shots from both players saw regular boundaries hit, and 98 runs plundered from the final ten overs.
Playfoot finished on 90 not out, and Palmer stormed to 47 not out in no time.
Needing their biggest score of the season, Tonbridge lost too many early wickets. Palmer and Rob Clark were able to
pitch the ball in good areas, and pick up three between them through aggressive short bowling. Jayden Wiggins and
Paul Smiles looked to patch up the innings, and did well to fend off the opening bowlers, and then attack the first
change from either end. Putting on 66 together, they took Tonbridge to a comfortable area, but with work to be done.
That job became even harder when Smiles (20) was bowled by David Brown (2 for 41), and Wiggins (41) was caught
behind off Miles Henslow (4 for 41). Khurram Shehzad fought well for 19, and Matthew Smiles looked good for 23, but
Tonbridge needed a big score from someone, but no one was able to convert. Tonbridge fell 56 runs short of their
target.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Dartford CC 4th XI 176 for 10 (45.5 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 106 for 10 (36 overs)
27th June
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Blackheath Wanderers City of London CC 1st XI 160 (43 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 1st XI
173 (44.1 overs)
Tonbridge picked up a huge victory in an important game between second and third.
On a very warm day, Tonbridge were put into bat on a firm pitch and a lightning outfield. Chirag Patel got off to a good
start, hitting two excellent fours to the small boundary, but was caught behind soon after off the bowling of Zakir Ullah.
Bowling with pace and bounce, Ullah accounted for Michael Topham LBW the next ball, although the decision was a
poor one. Jayden Wiggins saw off the hat trick ball, and looked to repair the innings with skipper Julius Marshall. Both
worked well to put away the bad ball, with Wiggins in particular looking in the mood for a big score. With runs flowing,
Blackheath decided to slow things down, and turned to spin. Mayank Patel in particular proved to be very effective,
mixing his pace, and getting some good turn. He removed Marshall for 19, before grabbing one more before drinks.
Tonbridge continued to lose wickets, including that of Wiggins for an excellent 69, although the LBW decision again
was a poor one. Ullah (3 for 41) was the wicket taker. Ben Morgan and Khurram Shehzad were now tasked with the
repair job. Morgan has not had the best of seasons so far, but from his very first ball he looked to be in good nick, and
soon the runs were flowing. Moving his feet excellently to the spinners, he hit some superb boundaries, and gave the
home side a lot to think about. Patel (3 for 31) took the wicket of Shehzad, and the tail showed no resistance against
Mohamed Jameel who claimed the last three wickets. Morgan finished with 36 not out, but 173 did not look like big
enough a score.
The visitors got off to a great start, as Martin Batley took a wicket with the very first ball of the innings, the third time
this season he has taken a wicket with his first ball. Blackheath came out with an attacking mentality, and soon the
runs were flowing as Kunnal Narang (26) and Mohamad Ibrahim (41) took the score to 69 for 1. Both were keen to
take on the bowlers, and mixed great shots with bad ones. The breakthrough came with the introduction of Ben Peters
and Nadeem Shahzad. First Ibrahim was caught at deep mid-off from Peters, and then Shahzad trapped Narang LBW
soon after. Muhammad Rizwan hit a 4 and a 6 off one of Peters’ overs, but then hit the ball to Khurram Shehzad at
deep mid-off again, bringing the score to 80 for 4. Nadeem (3 for 30) was in the zone and bowled the dangerous
Mayank Patel for only 6. A good sharp catch at slip by Paul Smiles accounted for Amrit Singh off the same bowler,
meaning five wickets had been taken for only twenty six runs.
Tonbridge continued to apply pressure after drinks. Peters showed sharp reactions to remove the home side skipper,
but found resistance from Waheed Bhatti, who was keen to keep the ball on the floor. Peters (4 for 51) took one more
wicket, but it was the ninth wicket partnership that made the game interesting. Shailender Nagpal was keen to show
his power, and worked well with Bhatti to take the score past 150. Khurram Shahzad was brought back on and
removed Nagpal for 19 with the home side still needing an extra 22 for victory. Bhatti and Ullah were able to push the
score up to 160 with some good running between the wickets, but Chirag Patel struck the final blow, trapping Bhatti
LBW for 25, and handing Tonbridge a 13 run victory.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 118 (34.2 overs) vs Hayes CC 4th XI 76 (27.4 overs)
Tonbridge 2nd XI continued their winning form with a strong victory by 42 runs over a good Hayes side bristling with
talented players. On a hard, dry, bouncy track at Poplar Meadow skipper David Blain opted to bat first but the
threatening accuracy of the Hayes opening attack soon accounted for the top four as Tonbridge soon found
themselves 20-4. 15-year old prospect Cameron Smart picking up all the scalps whilst Davis at the other end was
unlucky not to pick up wickets too. Steve Allen with John Simmons consolidated and then attacked the rare bad ball
putting away anything short with pulls and square cuts. These two added a confident forty before Allen went for a wellmade 24. Tony Shepherd hit some sweet boundaries off the slower bowlers and a six from Simmons kept the
scoreboard ticking. Haywood (4-30), with bounce and turn, accounted for Shepherd before the returning Smart picked
up Simmons for top score of 40. The usually dependable tail had no answer to either bowler and Smart ended up with
an excellent 6-16 from 10 overs as Tonbridge were dismissed for a paltry 118 after only 34 overs.
As ever, the Tonbridge strength is in their bowling and although missing a couple of front line players the quality of
Shepherd (1-22) and Nilesh Patel (3-24) with the new ball soon had Hayes hopping around. Short leg Jake Rossiter
came into play picking up one close catch then a running diving athletic effort to remove danger man Phillips for 0.
Young Leo Webster then decided to attack in an uncomplicated, unorthodox manner and he hit a quick 31. The
change of pace to Chris Sargeant by skipper Blain did the trick as Webster was immediately bowled aiming another
big blow. None of the other Hayes batsmen reached double figures as bounce, accuracy and movement accounted for
Sergeant's match winning return of 6 wickets for 10 runs from 6 overs well countered by Matt Wiggins who fired in 5
overs for 7 runs extracting bounce and pace. Keeper John Smiles picked up a great low effort off Patel to seal the
victory for a jubilant Tonbridge side full of confidence and top of the table.
20th June
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Bexley CC 3rd XI 146 for 8 (35.5 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 1st XI 145 (35.1 overs)
Tonbridge lost their second game of the season in a largely disappointing performance.
With the grey clouds threatening rain, the game was reduced to 36 overs. Tonbridge elected to bat, but immediately
found themselves on the back foot as three early wickets fell. Martin Pask in particular was looking in good form with
the ball, mixing an aggressive link with an even more aggressive demeanour. It was down to Matt and Paul Smiles to
rebuild the innings, helping to take Town closer to the 50 mark. Paul (17) was then caught behind off the bowling of
Jordan Parkinson (2 for 27), and Pask (3 for 19) removed Matt for 23. Three more quick wickets fell, and at 65 for 8
things were looking bleak for Tonbridge. However, the Shehzad brothers were there to the rescue. Initially both played
cagey, but once they got themselves in they began to play more freely, and regular boundaries were on the menu.
Soon they had taken the score past 100 and beyond. Khurram fell to Ian Clark (2 for 14) but his 33 showed that he
really is in good batting form at the moment. Clark also took the wicket of Nadeem for 33, but with a defendable score
on the board, Tonbridge had every reason to feel confident.
Tonbridge got off to a good start, with Martin Batley picking up two wickets in the third over of the innings. Matt Smiles
soon followed suit, picking up two more for Tonbridge a few overs later, including that of Peter Mitchell (16) who
looked solid at the crease. Khurram Shehzad was keen to join the party, picking up skipper Richard Melbourne
cheaply, before rain took the players off. After half an hour, the game restarted, but it was Bexley who started to look
the more likely. Pask followed up his excellent bowling spell with a brisk 27, but was bowled by Nadeem Shahzad as
the game looked to be slipping away from Tonbridge. When Fraser McWhinnie was stumped off the bowling of
Khurram (2 for 28), the away side looked in control. However, the young wicketkeeper Alex Shanks showed a lot of
maturity, and together with Clark they started to chip away at the total. With the required total in single figures, Clark
was removed. With only 4 needed from the final over, Chirag Patel was the man with the ball. With the first ball going
for 2 byes, the game was in Bexley’s hands, and the single the ball after took the scores level. Two dot balls followed,
and panic set in, but on the penultimate ball Bexley were able to cross the finish line, giving them an impressive win.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 84 for 2 (18.4 overs) vs NatWest CC 2nd XI 83 (29.2 overs)
Top of the table Tonbridge entertained bottom placed Nat West at Poplar Meadow on beautiful batting track with three
key bowlers missing but skipper David Blain put the visitors in to bat in case weather intervened. After 16 overs the
Nat West openers Gibbons with 30 & Ryder (25) had resisted everything thrown at them and put on an increasingly
confident 54 run partnership. The change of bowling for the sharp right arm spin of Ben Peters immediately reaped
reward however as Ryder was caught by Matt Wiggins at cover. This led to a dramatic batting collapse from Nat West
as they proceeded to lose all 10 wickets for 28 runs with no answer to Peters who ripped some classy deliveries that
would have tested some top flight batsmen. He finished with a superb match winning 6-21 from 9 overs ably assisted
by Wiggins who extracted some pace & bounce from a beautiful batting track and made life very uncomfortable for
some of the lower order batsmen as he picked up 1-15. It was last week’s hero Nilesh Patel who returned with the
older ball and mopped up the tail taking 3-25 including a good catch from keeper John Smiles and another for
Wiggins. Nat West were all out for 83 in the 29th over.
With a small target Zac Rossiter (18) and captain Blain, once again in great touch, eased to 35 before Rossiter went
adjudged lbw. Steve Allen went for a duck but Wiggins (17 not out) despatched the bowling imperiously for a huge six
and several well struck boundaries to support Blain who once again was the start batter with an unbeaten 45
comprising crisp cuts and straight drives that Nat West had no answer to. Tonbridge knocked off the runs in 18 overs
to win comprehensively by an 8 wicket margin well ahead of the later heavy rain.
13th June
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Tonbridge CC 1st XI 113 (36.1 overs) vs Shooters Hill CC 1st XI 106 (46.1 overs)
Tonbridge skipper Julius Marshall won the toss and chose to bat on a rock hard surface down at Poplar Meadow
hoping he would see a better batting display than their efforts last week. Unfortunately this was not the case.
Shooters captain Chris Wood took the new ball and ripped through the heart of the top order. His figures of 5 for 22
were aided by a mixture of poor shot selection and two paced wicket but at 27-5 Tonbridge were looking down the
barrel of a second defeat in two weeks.
Marshall (21) and Chait Kurusala (28) started to rebuild the innings but wickets kept on falling throughout at regular
intervals. Some late blows were needed and Khurram Shehzad obliged with a timely 30 not out that helped Tonbridge
up to an extremely mediocre 113 all out.
Tonbridge took to the field knowing that early wickets and tight bowling was going to be key in order to keep
themselves top of the table. All of Tonbridge’s bowlers kept runs to a minimum with no bowler going for than 3 an over
throughout Shooters Hill’s reply. Opener Jayden Wiggins (2-26) got the ball rolling dismissing Bruguier for just 8
however it was not until the introduction of K Shehzad that the game shifted into Tonbridge’s favour. Shehzad bowled
a season defining spell to lead Tonbridge to a vital victory. Shehzad consistently landed his left arm spin in the right
areas and mixed up his pace well to return figures of 12-10-4(runs)-5(wickets). The spell was something that Shooters
Hill could not recover from and wickets from Nadeem Shehzad and Chirag Patel left the game on a knife edge with
just eight runs needed for the last wicket. Marshall reintroduced Wiggins who opened his new spell with a slower ball
that McLaren (10) could only push in the air towards Marshall himself, who at the third attempt managed to hold on to
the catch to allow the side to breathe a huge sigh of relief.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Dartfordians CC 2nd XI 94 ( overs) vs Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 124 (43.1 overs)
A mature and patient Captain's innings from Tonbridge's David Blain on Saturday at Dartfordians provided the solid
base for an exciting victory in this top of the table clash. On a difficult and awkward wicket, the home team bowlers
tested the strong Town batting line up and Tonbridge needed all 11 batsmen to accumulate a meagre 124 hard fought
runs in 44 overs. It was however down to opener Blain who cemented the innings with 56 crisply middled runs in 38
overs as he demonstrated excellent shot selection throughout as the ball skipped, stopped, hopped and shot. He was
ably supported at the end by Nilesh Patel (12) with John Smiles adding vital runs and at the top of the order by Tony
Shepherd (12).
Dartfordians were confident of chasing down such a low total but Tonbridge's strength is in the array of bowling talent
available and after a smart start the home team were soon 34-3. Nick Helyar as always tested with the new ball with 2
early wickets and the gentle swing of Chris Sargeant with a wicket soon had them in trouble. Blain rang the bowling
changes and supported by great ground fielding in the covers by Nigel Johnstone, Dartfordians were being restricted.
With scoreboard pressure in a tight game Tonbridge soon had more wickets as the spin of Ben Peters reaped another
victim. Jake Rossiter then injected pure pace and was lively on the uneven surface before he clutched onto a
magnificent caught and bowled reflex from a smashed drive to send back the Dartfordians danger man. This saw the
inspired introduction of Nilesh Patel who produced the match winning spell as the short of a length accuracy proved
unplayable and his figures of 7 overs, 4 for 2 broke the final resistance. Patel had the opportunity to complete an
excellent five wicket haul but spilled a straight forward chance in his follow though in an otherwise unblemished
performance. Shepherd similarly spilled a simple return catch before getting the last man plumb lbw as Dartfordians
were dismissed for 94 to bring Tonbridge victory by a healthy 30 runs in a tense finale.
6th June
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Frindsbury CC 1st XI 177 for 7 (46 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 1st XI 120 (41.2 overs)
Tonbridge 1st XI lost their first game of the season on Saturday against 3rd place Frindsbury at Frog Island. On a
warm day, Frindsbury won the toss and chose to bat which initially looked a regretful decision. Some tight bowling
from openers Matt Smiles and Jayden Wiggins (2-28) restricted Frindsbury to 28-3. Tonbridge did continue to restrict
Frindsbury in terms of runs but could never consistently pick up the wickets that they needed. This meant that moving
into the back end of the innings, Frindsbury batsmen were to bat relatively risk freely. Sean Holbrook (35) started to
increase the rate until he was caught off of Chirag Patel’s bowling (2-34). This dismissal however led to the
introduction of Frindsbury captain Sam Dudgeon who with the help of Samuel Gracey (35) was able to increase the
score a rate that Tonbridge could not control. Dudgeon ended on 52 not out which included six 4’s and one 6.
At the half way stage Tonbridge felt confident that their start to the game had ensured that they were chasing a below
par score. Unfortunately this did not prove to the case. Tonbridge’s innings never got started with many batsmen
struggling to time the ball on a wicket that slowed down throughout the day. Only captain Julius Marshall (20) was able
to offer any kind of support to in-form batsmen Wiggins (49) as Tonbridge’s efforts fell short of the standards that they
have set over the last couple of seasons.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 202 (44.5 overs) vs R A C S CC 2nd XI 132 (26.3 overs)
Tonbridge 2nd XI continued their winning ways with a 70 run margin of victory over a useful RACS team which should
have been greater after letting a commanding start to the game slip away. Skipper David Blain and Matt Wiggins
began the game in great form on a beautiful batting track at Poplar Meadow. Drives, pulls and cuts raced across the
outfield. They had 70 on the board after just 12 overs before Blain went top edging to square leg for a powerfully
struck 37. Wiggins continued at his belligerent best before being adjudged run out in a close call for a superb 48. The
middle order then went cheaply in the face of an encouraged RACS attack with O'Neill (3-34) and the leg breaks of
Pointer picking up 4-34. Rebuilding the innings John Simmons hit 27 before falling lbw, Tony Shepherd a hard hit 24
with useful quicker contributions from Stevie Allen and Ben Peters both with 15 as Tonbridge finished on 202.
As in the first innings the usually strong Tonbridge bowling attack uncharacteristically served up too many loose balls
in between the good ones. The fast outfield and good batting track left no room for error and anything slightly off line
was despatched with alacrity. All the RACS top order made it into the 20's but skipper Blain had too many resources
to call upon. Starting with Chris Sargeant, he took 2-36 from 8 overs featuring an excellent catch by keeper John
Smiles. Blain soon made the changes and Nicky Helyar once again got amongst the wickets picking up 3-33 from 7
overs including several unplayable deliveries. The match winner was however big Ben Peters. As soon as he came on
he had the lower order in trouble with fast leg breaks mixed with a few loose balls but he broke the back of the batting
taking 4-27 from only 5 overs. Jake Rossiter came on and immediately ripped the off stump out of the ground in
spectacular fashion to complete a very competent win for a maximum 20 points.
30th May
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Bromley Common CC 4th XI 126 for 10 (35.1 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 160 for 10
(45 overs)
Another strong display by Tonbridge 2nd XI in a competitive game at Bromley Common saw them run out convincing
winners by 34 runs after a dramatic hatrick from Chirag Patel saw off the opposition in a great finish.
Only veteran Brett Walker with 57 & Husaini with a crisp 20 looked comfortable against the formidable Town attack as
Bromley Common chased 160 on a dry but helpful wicket. Nicky Helyar proved consistent as ever taking 2-24 from 12
excellent overs, Nilesh Patel 1-36, Matt Wiggins 2-21 and some fiery pace from Jake Rossiter who picked up two
crucial middle order wickets helped put Bromley behind the run rate. This paved the way for Chirag Patel with his mix
of pace and spin to bamboozle the lower order and collect a memorable first hatrick and finish the game in style.
Feature of the Tonbridge fielding was some smart catching from keeper John Smiles, Patel, Wiggins and a reflex
gulley catch by John Simmons.
Earlier skipper David Blain had elected to bat and led the way with a well timed 37 aided by Wiggins (17) and
Helyar(15). The advent of the wily old campaigner Dave Williams (4-25) put the skids on Tonbridge but Simmons
patiently regrouped the innings helped by Nigel Johnstone (13) as these two pushed the score towards 150. Simmons
went lbw for a well crafted 51 but some lusty blows by the tail gave Tonbridge a competitive 160 at the half way mark.
Town's confidence was well placed as they ran out winners by 34 runs as Patel celebrated a great finale.
24th/25th May
Tonbridge CC Tour to Nottingham
The club embarked on a tour to Nottingham over the bank holiday weekend. Most went up on the Saturday evening,
with a few more following on Sunday morning.
We played Brailsford & Ednaston on the Sunday. It was a beautiful village ground, and a lovely side to play against. A
100 run opening partnership shared between Nick Helyar and Russ Evans was the highlight. A maiden 50 for Zach
Rossiter, and one of many 50s for John Simmons helped us to put on a good score. The home side started well, but it
was the slow spin duo of Nigel Johnstone and Paul Smiles that did the damage, helping us to victory.
On Monday we faced a whole different proposition. Hucknall were an excellent outfit, playing in the top division of the
South Nottinghamshire league. They had exceptional pace in their attack, but that didn't stop Jayden Wiggins from
scoring a sensational 100. Hucknall found runs easy to come by and won with around 8 overs to go. Again, a lovely
bunch and a great ground.
23rd May
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Gravesend RF CC 1st XI 77 (26 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 1st XI 213 (41.1 overs)
Losing the toss, stand-in skipper Chirag Patel’s Tonbridge side were put in to bat. From the very first ball it was
evident that this was not a pitch that the batsmen would enjoy. The skipper felt this first hand as he was bowled to
one that kept low. Undeterred by the conditions, David Blain and Michael Topham set about repairing the innings, and
were both able to hit regular boundaries when a poor ball arrived. Topham in particular was in explosive form, and
made the pitch look easy. Blain was finally dismissed by Matthew Pohl (2 for 70) for a well-played 24. Topham had
already passed his 50, and with Jayden Wiggins at the other end, was looking in perfect shape for a big score. Nolan
Wilde had other ideas though, and was able to draw the Tonbridge keeper forward, resulting in a stumping, but an
excellent 65.
Wiggins was soon Wilde’s next victim, falling for 25 to a shot that didn’t quite come out of the middle, but the drama
didn’t end there. Ben Peters fell first ball, caught at cover, and Jake Rossiter was trapped LBW on his second ball,
meaning three wickets in the over. A galvanised Gravesend RF side were sensing blood, and with Navjot Singh (2 for
31) picking up a couple of quick wickets, the visitors had a task to reach a respectable score. Matt Smiles and
Khurram Shehzad were tasked with the repair job, and both played doggedly to increase the run count. Putting on
almost fifty for the ninth wicket, they effectively took the heart away from the home side. Shehzad became Wilde’s fifth
wicket, falling for 16, and giving the bowler figures of 5 for 50. Some lusty blows by Smiles saw him take his total to an
excellent 47, but was caught and bowled when eyeing up a shot that would take him to his half century.
Given a target of 214 for victory, the visitors got off to a great start. Martin Batley (2 for 18) took a wicket with his first
ball for the second week in a row, and followed it up with a second soon after. The home side did make a recovery,
but were very fortunate not to lose their wickets. Richard Skye (15) and Marc Klus (10) both reached double figures,
but played and missed regularly against Batley and Matthew Smiles. It would be the bowling change that would bring
a third wicket, with the ever reliable Nadeem Shahzad bowling both set batsman. At the other end Khurram Shehzad
(2 for 16) also picked up a couple of wickets, and the game began to fall away from Gravesend RF. Nadeem was not
done though, and continued to bowl out the opposition. Minn Man (12 not out) was the only other batsmen to reach
double figures, and had to watch seven batting partners have their stumps rearranged. Shahzad took the final four
wickets to finish with figures of 6 for 11, and complete a convincing win for Tonbridge.
16th May
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Tonbridge CC 1st XI 127 for 4 (23.2 overs) vs High Halstow CC 1st XI 126 (38.2 overs)
Tonbridge made it a hat trick of wins to date, with a comfortable six wicket victory over recently relegated High
Halstow.
Winning his third consecutive toss, skipper Julius Marshall elected to field for the third straight week, and once again
early wickets were on the menu. Opener Martin Batley (3 for 13) picked up a wicket with his first ball, removing David
Sibley. He got his second soon after, thanks in part to a smart catch from Matthew Smiles. A third soon fell, this time
courtesy of a great reaction catch from Chirag Patel, leaving the visitors struggling on 21 for 3. Hamad Ul Hassan and
Benjamin Bowles set about putting the innings back together, until the latter was caught flush on the toe from a
Nadeem Shahzad Yorker, and had to go off injured. Shahzad was soon in the wickets, removing a solid looking
Vasudeva Das for 10, and Bhakta Das soon after for 15.
A welcome return to the 1sts for Khurram Shehzad saw him remove the dangerous Ul Hassan for a top scoring 25
runs. Bowling in unison with his brother, they continued to pick up regular wickets. Bowles returned from injury and
smashed a few boundaries, before falling to Khurram (2 for 44) for 21. Nadeem was not to be denied though, finishing
off the tail in style, and taking the final wicket to finish with 5 for 40.
Set 126 for victory, the home side got off to the worst start possible, losing opener Paul Smiles to a harsh LBW
decision to Philip Hatzidakis. He soon had his second, drawing Chirag Patel into a mistimed drive that resulted in an
easy catch for Bowles at mid-off. This brought Jayden Wiggins to the crease, and similar to the week previous, he and
Michael Topham looked to restore order. Together they took the score past 50, but Topham was dismissed by
Harrison Hume for 10, keeping the game in the balance. Wiggins began to motor, carrying on from where he left off
the week before. Beautiful cover drives and cuts through backward point were in abundance, and soon he reached his
second consecutive 50. At the other end, Chaitanya Kurusala was looking just as effective, but fell for 17 with the
victory line in sight. Ben Peters smashed a huge six to take Tonbridge to the edge, and Jayden Wiggins finished it off
with another superb boundary to give Tonbridge maximum points.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Blackheath CC 6th XI 127 for 9 (45 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 124 (46 overs)
In a close, tense struggle Blackheath managed to snatch victory at the very last as Tonbridge's Ben Hoey was bowled
attempting the winning hit as they chased 128. Earlier Tonbridge had bowled well with Nick Helyar starring as he took
an impressive 4-15 from his 12 miserly overs, backed well by Chris Sargeant 2-27 from 10, John Simmons 2-13 and
Tony Shepherd 1-31. Blackheath were dismissed for 127 in 45 overs and Tonbridge were confident of chasing down
the low total but the young Blackheath fielded exceptionally well restricting runs and applying early pressure as the top
order were soon back in the pavilion at 16-3.
Nick Helyar (24) and Matt Wiggins (23) steadied the ship, hitting the ball hard and took the score to 65 before both
were surprisingly bowled on a difficult pitch. A further flurry of wickets ensued before the experienced Simmons (23)
and Sargeant took the score past 100 with ease before both fell to smart catches leaving Hoey and last man John
Smiles (12*). These two sensibly edged closer to the target with undue fuss adding 24 for the last wicket before Hoey
was bowled attempting the heroics amidst much Blackheath jubilation in an even, close fought match to lose by 3
runs.
This was Tonbridge's first loss of the season in all cricket but they gained maximum bonus points to stay 2nd in the
table.
13th May
Tonbridge CC U11’s – Tonbridge CC U11’s ‘Tigers’ 95 for 2 (20 overs) vs King’s Hill CC U11’s ‘Mustangs’ 80
for 7 (20 overs)
9th May
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Horton Kirby 1st XI 165 for 8 (46 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 1st 1st XI 169 for 7 (42.1 overs)
Tonbridge were made to work harder than the previous weekend, but came away with 19 points against Horton Kirby.
With clouds overhead, and a little moisture in the wicket, Tonbridge skipper Julius Mashall won an important toss and
elected to field.
From the off it was apparent that the ball wasn't going to bounce too high, making it tough for the openers. Martin
Batley and Matthew Smiles again proved to be too much for the opposition, both bowling with pace and accuracy. The
breakthrough came from Batley, with opener Darren Bull edging to Jayden Wiggins in slip. Soon after it was two down,
with Smiles (2 for 25) bowling the other batsman. One more apiece put the visitors in trouble, but the fifth wicket
proved to be more of an issue. Ben Crouch and Darren Chambers both began slowly, but once comfortable, were able
to build the run rate and take the score past 100. The breakthrough finally came courtesy of an excellent stumping
from Marc Newbould, off the bowling of Ben Peters. Crouch fell for 62.
Kirby batsmen began to struggle, and the runs really dried up once Batley returned, and Chirag Patel was brought into
the attack
Batley picked up one more wicket, and finished with 3 for 30, but it was Patel that did the main damage as he
removed Chambers for 49. His spell of 2 for 12 off 4 overs helped to keep the runs down, and Smiles was equally as
effective as he closed out the innings, leaving 166 for victory.
Tonbridge started excellently the week before, but lost the openers for a cumulative total of six. With the home side
feeling confident, they found Michael Topham in irresistible form, striking three big sixes, and looking solid in defence.
Looking for one more maximum, he was caught on the boundary off the bowling of Dane Bull (2 for 49). Bull soon had
one more, leaving the visitors with over one hundred runs for victory, and with six wickets left. Jayden Wiggins and
Julius Marshall set about their task effectively, squeezing quick singles, and finding the gaps. The two helped move
the score into three figures, and left the home side scratching their heads as they looked for a breakthrough. That
finally came when skipper Marshall was bowled by Chris Scott (2 or 30) for 21 runs. Chaitanya Kurusala simply
continued where Marshall left off, and shook hands with Wiggins as he clipped a quick single to pass fifty. With the
scores tied, Kurusala was bowled for 14, and Newbould fell the ball after. Wiggins struck a four off the first ball of the
next over to take Tonbridge past their target, and to finish on 62 not out.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 249 for 6 (46 overs) vs Horton Kirby 2nd XI 110 (32.5 overs)
Tonbridge 2nd XI continued to demonstrate their strength in depth as they convincingly overcame visitors Horton Kirby
by 139 runs at Poplar Meadow on Saturday.
Electing to bat, stand in Captain Jake Rossiter made the right decision as Paul Smiles (23) and Zac Rossiter soon got
the scoreboard ticking with a high boundary count as they pounced on anything loose as the new ball was despatched
regularly around the ground. Rossiter in particular looked composed and in commanding form as he and Smiles
added 54 for the first wicket. The Rossiter brothers continued the flurry of boundaries on a quick outfield before both
fell at 88 with Zac (an excellent 49) just missing out on his maiden half century for the club and Jake for 12 following a
sharp caught and bowled from Bull. This brought together Kiwi Matt Wiggins who had struggled for runs so far in his
first year at the club and the experienced Nick Helyar who has been in good form this season. Tight bowling and
fielding ensured they both had to apply themselves but anything loose was put away with some big hitting including a
couple of large maximums from Wiggins. Gradually the pair dominated the Horton Kirby bowlers and put on an
excellent century partnership before Helyar fell for a fighting 39. Wiggins went on to his maiden half century for the
club, a determined and well struck 57. Both sacrificed themselves in the bid for quick runs but this only brought in
Steve Allen (17) and Khurram Shehzad who both thrived on the opportunity to pile on the runs as the field spread.
Allen sacrificed himself but Shezhad looked in great form as he ended unbeaten on 33 with a series of well-timed
drives and late cuts. The Horton Kirby bowlers, with Boon taking 2-37, never gave up and made Town work for their
runs with a good last over meaning Tonbridge finished on 249-6.
Tonbridge's strength has traditionally been their bowling and immediately Wiggins and Helyar had the visitors under
pressure despite the quick outfield and the odd boundary. Helyar was unlucky not to collect wickets as couple of
difficult chances went down however Wiggins (2-30) got his reward before Rossiter rang the changes. The
introduction of the vociferous Tony Shepherd soon had the umpire interested and his dismissals of the dangers, Bull
(17) and skipper Rameaux (0), were key in breaking down the Kirby defence as they were reduced to 65-5. Shepherd
was accurate and pacey and kept the opposition batsman interested with every ball as he collected 4-20 from his 8
overs. The introduction of Shezhad immediately had an impact as his classy left arm tested the lower middle order
and his 9 overs were rewarded with a miserly 2-8 part aided by a smart stumping by keeper John Smiles. The tail
decided to block out so the inspired introduction of the flighted slow left arm of veteran Nigel Johnstone gave them
something they couldn't resist. The bait was immediately taken as he picked up the last two wickets in less than 2
overs and Tonbridge ran out comfortable winners by a convincing margin with Horton Kirby all out 110.
3rd May
Tonbridge CC U11’s – Tonbridge CC U11’s ‘Tigers’ 243 for 5 (16 overs) vs Otford CC U11’s B 224 for 5 (16
overs)
Tonbridge Under 11’s embarked on their season at a windy but sunny Poplar Meadow against Otford B’s. Tonbridge
fielded first and from the off they showed energy and focus and the bowling was tight and the fielding was sharp.
The Otford batsmen were struggling to find the gaps although when the ball was short they played a number of
excellent pull shots. Accurate and straight bowling by Freddie Ball, Jacob Curtis and Max Malkinson resulted in
wickets. Captain, Thomas Burles bowled 3 very good overs that kept the pressure on Otford and David Davies made
the batsmen work hard for their runs with a probing line and length. Debutant Alex Van Niekerk bowled quickly and
managed to get bounce from a wicket that was very soft. Sam Attenborough bowled at the finish and did not
allow Otford to accelerate their run rate. In the 16 overs, Otford scored 224 for 5 and considering this was the first
hard ball game for a number of the opposition, it was a great effort. Tonbridge’s performance in the field was super
and has set the standard for the season. A run out by Freddie Ball with a direct hit from the boundary was a highlight
as was a fantastic full length diving catch by Ewan Davie, the wicketkeeper, who also did not give away any byes.
With confidence sky high, Tonbridge batsmen knew that a lot of hard work was needed. Ewan Davie and David
Davies opened the innings and played well. Their running between the wickets and shot selection were very
good as aggression was mixed with determined defence. Alex Van Niekerk and Sam Attenborough built on the solid
start and a feature of their partnership was the running between the wickets and their communication which allowed
them to run some fantastic singles. With no wickets lost in this partnership, Tonbridge were well set.
Thomas Burles and Max Malkinson played with purpose and looked to score quickly. Otford, however, never gave up
and some inspired bowling and fielding enabled them to take wickets at regular intervals and the game was on a knife
edge.
In came Freddie Ball and Jacob Curtis with 10 runs needed to win, although with -5 for a wicket, both sides fancied
their chances of gaining the victory. Tonbridge nerves were settled within the first 4 balls as Freddie plundered 13
runs from them with sublime cut shots. Jacob Curtis got in on the act as he played some very good controlled drives
and worked hard to not give away his wicket. The final over was seen out and Tonbridge had scored 243 for 5 to win
by 19 runs and gained their first ever victory and was thoroughly enjoyed by players, coaches and parents.
This was a great way to start the season and thanks to Otford for playing the game in the correct spirit. Also, a big
thanks must go the parents for their positive support, Katie Malkinson for bringing the refreshments and to the boys
who worked very hard and played as a team and supported each other throughout the match.
2nd May
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Tonbridge CC 1st XI 85 for 5 (17.5 overs) vs The Roebucks CC 1st XI 83 (32 overs)
Tonbridge got off to a flying start last weekend with a five wicket victory over The Roebucks at Poplar Meadow.
In their first game in the Kent Regional League Premier Division, The Roebucks were going to be a tough start having
finished fourth in the league last year. Julius Marshall won the toss and elected to field. With rain forecast for 6 o’clock,
the decision was taken to start the game 15 minutes early, and reduce to 40 overs a side.
It took only five overs for Tonbridge to make the first breakthrough of the season, with Martin Batley (2 for 18) taking a
simple caught and bowled chance to remove opener Rowan Dayal. It wouldn’t get much better for The Roebucks as
Matt Smiles (2 for 17) soon removed fellow opener Peter Clinton soon after. The pair not only looked threatening, but
also kept things very tight, not allowing any width, and keeping the batsmen on their toes. The pair shared two more
wickets, reducing the visitors to 25 for 4. Edward Livett (19) looked bright, and began to strike some nice flowing
drives, taking on the bowlers when given a chance. A moment of genius from Ben Morgan at slip saw his end, diving
full length and taking a stunning one handed catch off the bowling of Ben Peters. A wicket for Nadeem Shahzad (2 for
16) left the score on 47 for 6 at the halfway point.
Ben White and Marc Brown silenced Tonbridge for a number of overs, picking up singles where possible, and
punishing the occasional bad ball. Having put on 28, they gave themselves a fighting of taking the team total to three
figures. Having taken his total to 27, White inexplicably returned a full toss straight back to Peters, giving him his
second wicket. The final three wickets fell for only two runs, with Peters (4 for 28) picking up two of them, including
that of Brown for 17. This left Tonbridge with a modest total of 84 for victory.
The home side came flying out of the blocks, with Chirag Patel in particular continuing his fabulous early season form.
Playing aggressively as always, regular boundaries were plundered, and 31 runs were on the board in no time. The
breakthrough came from Muhammad Amin, bowling Michael Topham for 8. There was no panic at all for Tonbridge,
as Patel continued to hit boundaries, and together with Jayden Wiggins they got to within 22 of the desired total. All of
a sudden, the momentum swung. Wiggins was trapped LBW by Sanath Jayawardhana (2 for 29), and Peter Clinton (2
for 24) took the wickets of Chaitanya Kurusala, followed then by the key wicket of Patel for 45. Jayawardhana then
bowled Ben Morgan, leaving the score on 64 for 5. With four wickets having fell for only two runs, the visitors sensed
an opportunity to ruin Tonbridge’s party. Skipper Julius Marshall and Matt Smiles had to undergo a tough examination,
with the latter alleviating some of the pressure following a gorgeous cut for four. Putting on an unbeaten 21 runs, the
two took Town passed the required total, and secured maximum points.
Tonbridge CC 2nd XI – Pembury CC 2nd XI 141 for 9 (46 overs) vs Tonbridge CC 2nd XI 257 for 9 (46 overs)
Tonbridge 2nd XI, newly promoted after a successful campaign last season, opened their Kent Regional League 2A
account with an emphatic 116 run victory at local rivals Pembury on Saturday. On one of the driest May wickets seen
for years, Tonbridge skipper David Blain chose to bat first and led the way with a confident 66 full of fluent cover
drives and late cuts well supported by Zac Rossiter with 21. Jake Rossiter (33) then came to the crease and launched
a series of superbly timed boundaries off his legs and two enormous sixes before Charlie Johns dismissed both
dominant batsmen with excellent deliveries. Nick Forward then laced onto a tremendous drive from kiwi Matt Wiggins
(5) to put the brakes on Tonbridge's run flow. John Simmons (23) and Nick Helyar then put on an even time 51 with
Helyar looking in top form before another great catch, this time by Luke Packman off his own bowling, sent him back
for a quick fire 41. Tonbridge's strong batting line up continued to thrive with Steve Allen maintaining the run rate and
chipping in with a characteristic 29 aided by Tony Shepherd with some lusty blows finishing on 20 not out taking the
total to 257-9. Former Tonbridge player Suleman Sarfraz was the pick of the bowlers taking 1-31 from his 12 overs
with Packman collecting 3-52.
Pembury faced a tall order against a very strong Tonbridge bowling attack and skipper Blain enterprisingly opened
with the slow medium pace of Chris Sargeant knowing he had plenty of pace to call on later in the day. His tactics paid
off as McCloy smacked a ball behind square for Zach Rossiter to pick up the first of three smart catches. Young Johns
(19) was one of only two Pembury batsmen to reach double figures along with Alan Moxon. He showed some promise
before falling to a persistent and probing spell from Helyar (1-39) who repeatedly beat the bat without reward. Wiggins
took over from Sargeant and was soon looking dangerous and building some good pace. Veteran opener Moxon
presented a solid rebuffle to everything Tonbridge tried, latching onto any rare loose balls to hold up one end as
wickets tumbled at the other. Moxon continued to stonewall stubbornly refusing to throw his wicket away as new boy
Wiggins collected 3-31 from 11 overs and capped a great performance with a smart direct hit run out from his own
bowling as Moxon tried to farm the bowling. The steady procession of Pembury batsmen continued with Shepherd
now bowling down the hill and with great consistency taking 1-27 from his 11 overs. Sargeant (3-43) returned and
picked up 2 late wickets including a smart catch by Blain at slip but couldn't prise out the last two batsmen. Moxon
carried his bat for a commendable 81 denying Tonbridge full points and Town will perhaps rue the lack of a spin option
in an otherwise excellent all round performance in a strong start to the season.
29th April
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Tonbridge 1st XI 135 for 5 vs Offham CC 1st XI 133
Tonbridge passed their final pre-season test with flying colours, defeating Kent League Division 4 side Offham by five
wickets.
On an unexpectedly beautiful day down at Poplar Field, the visitors won the toss and elected to bat. Right from the off
their batsmen were put under immense pressure by the opening duo of Matt Smiles (2 for 20) and Martin Batley (1 for
10), leaving the score at 19 for 3. Ben Gittings (22) provided some rest bite, although the ball missed the edge
repeatedly before Nadeem Shahzad (1 for 19) was able to find it. Wickets continued to fall, with New Zealander
Jayden Wiggins picking up two wickets in an over. Offham were thankful to their captain Tom Gittings who repeatedly
watched his partners disappear back to the pavilion. His day was ended after a stunning catch from Smiles off the
bowling of Matt Wiggins (2 for 21).Chirag Patel and Ben Peters both picked up a late wicket each, leaving the home
side with 134 to chase for victory.
Early wickets were required for Offham, and they succeeded early, with Paul Smiles unfortunate to see the ball dribble
onto his stumps. Chirag Patel and Michael Topham played beautifully to put on 55 for the second wicket, before the
latter fell for 22 off the bowling of Andy Cox (2 for 24). The same man soon had Patel stumped for 41 off only 30 balls,
but with the score now on 81 for 3. Jayden Wiggins looked his assured self with a nice knock of 27, but it was left to
skipper Julius Marshall (17 not out) to finish the game off for Tonbridge.
18th April
Tonbridge CC 1st XI – Tonbridge School 1st XI 114 for 5 vs Tonbridge CC 1st XI 112
Continuing with a long standing tradition, Tonbridge School hosted Tonbridge for their annual fixture. With the ground
absolutely gleaming in the sun, the scene was a sight to behold. Winning the toss, Tonbridge skipper Julius Marshall
elected to bat on a beautiful looking pitch.
The visitors started cagily, but the nerves of the first game of the season were eradicated when Chirag Patel hit a crisp
aerial drive to bring up the first boundary. The dismissal of Michael Topham (3), caught low by Harry Langham behind
the stumps, brought about the first issue for Town, but returning Kiwi Jayden Wiggins looked his assured self as he
joined his batting partner. Patel began to motor, with his highlight being a straight six swat, and taking the total close
to 50. Wiggins (10) was soon bowled, and skipper Marshall followed not too soon after. Two more quick wickets,
including that of Patel for 43, saw Tonbridge sitting on 67 for 6, and at risk of being swept aside by an impressive
School side.
Chaitanya Kurusala (15) and Matt Smiles (11) pushed the total towards three figures, but the constant wickets hurt the
visitors. Ben Peters (12) hit two lovely fours, before being clean bowled by Kelson. When the final wicket was taken,
Tonbridge had posted a low score of 112, on a pitch that demanded over 200.
TCC needed to get off to a good start, and got their first wicket in the 5 th over, with Martin Batley bowling out BevanThomas for a duck. Hoping to follow up soon after, Tonbridge struggled to find a breakthrough, with both Ed Hyde (20)
and Harry Langham (37) looked assured at the crease. Having put on 49 for the second wicket, the breakthrough was
made by Ben Peters, bowling Hyde with a superb delivery. Jayden Wiggins removed Langham soon after, with
Topham taking a good low catch behind the sticks. Two more quick wickets from Peters put an element of doubt in the
air, leaving the school a further 26 runs for victory. However, Marcus O’Riordan (20 not out) and Cam MacGregor (10
not out) were able to take the home side over the line, and seal a good five wicket victory.