Blackheath missed out on promotion from the Shepherd Neame Kent League Division One when they could only draw with rival hopefuls The Mote at The Rectory Field on Saturday.

The home side went into the match knowing that only a victory they started the game in fourth place after successful defeats would give them a chance, but would still require two of the three teams above them to slip up.

Batting first, Blackheath lost skipper James Hands for just four, but a fine innings from Richard Jerman, who made 59 before he was bowled by Stephan Grobler bolstered the middle order.

Barry Lee, at number nine, weighed in with a useful 25 as Blackheath reached 162-8 off their allotted 50 overs.

In reply, The Mote were soon in trouble as Blackheath's spinners, Rupert Staple and Hands took six wickets between them as the visitors slumped to 69-7.

However, they and Blackheath were held up in the victory quest by an unbroken eight-wicket partnership between Nigel Mullarkey and Tom Parsons, who put on 46 to see The Mote through to stumps with their total on 115.

Staple finished with 3-24 from 15 overs, while Hands took 3-36.

But despite Sandwich's shock defeat to Harvel, Blackheath were 11 points adrift of promotion.