IT MUST have seemed like there were 30 fielders in the outfield when Dartford required 11 to win from 12 balls on Sunday. And that’s because there were.

There was also a discrepancy in the toss, where the invitation team of Dartford MP Gareth Johnson MP were already padded up before the captains had even met in the middle.

Corruption is an ugly thing - in sport and in politics - but we’ll spare Mr Johnson the lifetime ban and an appearance at the Leveson inquiry, because this was a charity cricket match to raise money for the Arrow Riding Centre for the Disabled in Darenth and Dartford Cricket Club.

Mr Johnson’s team - which included Shopper’s Jim Palmer - won by two runs with the help of a small army of young fielders, some charitable opposition and a contribution by former Kent and England player Min Patel. And Jim’s 19 runs didn’t hurt, either.

Shirts were sponsored by Bluewater, while the event was supported by a range of Dartford Businesses.

Mr Johnson said: “It has been great to see so many different organisations to support this charity. It has been a good family day out. It was well supported by so many people and we raised a good amount of money.”

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