Hartley continued their fine form in the Kent Cricket League Premier Division on Saturday with an exhilarating one run victory over Bexley at Manor Way.

Hartley elected to bat but started poorly as Adam Ball bowled the dangerous James Hockley in the first over for a duck.

Dan Stickels and Shane Deitz stabilised proceedings - the latter in imperious form, smashing nine boundaries before falling for 48.

Stickels hit a patient 74 before he became Adam Riley’s third victim of the day, at which point the game was evenly poised with Hartley 186-7.

David Thompson (31) and Jake Benfield (21) produced an invaluable 54-run partnership which elevated Hartley to 246 and looked to have given the visitors the edge at the halfway stage.

In reply, George Wells (92) was at his fluent best and, alongside Ball (42), looked to be guiding Bexley to victory.

James Thompson, however, dismissed both during a superb spell of bowling to peg the hosts back from 137-2 to 150-4.

Thompson (4-27), bowling with great accuracy and variety, dismissed two more Bexley batsman shortly after to completely change the atmosphere at Manor Way.

Harry Furze (21no) and Mehdi Abbas (18) fought back well though and with seven runs required from the final over, and only one wicket remaining, it could have gone either way.

Sam Weller (2-33) held his nerve and gave the tail nothing to hit and with two needed from two, Bexley attempted to steal a quick single.

But James Hockley rushed in from point and flicked the ball onto the stumps to clinch the most exciting of victories.

The win consolidates Hartley’s position in third, just eight points behind Blackheath and 13 behind leaders Sevenoaks, while Bexley’s loss sees them drop back into the relegation zone.

Blackheath (236) kept the pressure on Sevenoaks with a 42-run win against basement side Bickley Park.

Nayan Doshi (4-20) bowled brilliantly but runs from Dipayan Paul (52), Tanweer Sikandar (53) and Chris Willetts (35) pushed Blackheath up to 236.

Paul also starred with the ball, picking up a trio of wickets in 10 overs and only conceding 17 runs as Bickley stuttered to 194-6 from their 50 overs.

Bromley (125) sunk to a disappointing 112-run defeat against relegation battlers Canterbury (237-7).

James Lilley proved to be the difference between the sides, the Canterbury captain hitting an excellent 94 on a pitch which most batsmen have found scoring freely difficult.

This was exemplified during the chase as Stuart Drakeley (3-19) and Kent’s Charles Hartley (2-21) tore through Bromley’s top order and eventually bowled the visitors out for 125. 

Beckenham (218-6) remain in the pack fighting for survival after they were narrowly beaten by Lordswood (219-7).

Alexander Senn and William MacVicar both scored 52, but on a pitch which was offering the bowlers invariable bounce, Lordswood restricted Beckenham to 218 from their 50 overs.

Junaid Nadir (3-49) and Raza Ali Dar (2-36) took early wickets as Beckenham faltered at 55-4, but a composed half-century from Chris Piesley (71no) saw the visitors over the line with 23 balls and 3 wickets to spare.

Saturday’s fixtures (12pm start): Bickley Park v Canterbury, Blackheath v Bexley, Bromley v Beckenham, Hartley v Sevenoaks Vine.

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