Rain has final say as Hartley lift crown (From News Shopper)

Rain has final say as Hartley lift crown

10:18am Tuesday 9th September 2008 in Sport By Paul Green

HARTLEY are the 2008 Kent Cricket League Premier Division champions after Saturday's title decider with Bromley was rained off.

Both sides went into the game knowing victory would secure the crown, but the elements ensured it was Hartley who retained the three point advantage they held going into the fixture.

Bromley captain James Butterfield had few complaints afterwards and congratulated new champions Hartley on their success.

He said: "Hartley were very good throughout the season and were even keen to get the game started.

"Neither side wanted it to end the way it did, but there really is nothing you can do in that situation.

"Our batting throughout the season and inability to chase down low scores ultimately let us down, not the weather."

Butterfield added: "We have had a good year, though, both in the league and the cups.

"Cup competitions have taken on much more significance in the last three or four years and we won the Kent Shepherd Neame Twenty20 competition.

"This means we will face the winners from Essex, Surrey and Middlesex this Sunday at Canterbury in the regional final and the winners of this will win a place in the national final in Glamorgan."