DARTFORDIANS v 3rd XI

The Heaths 3rd XI kicked off their league season with a hard fought but comfortable win against local rivals Dartfordians. Skipper Steve lost the toss and was asked to bat first, a surprise as the Darts had loaded their batting line-up with no 1st team game. Although the skip went early Ben (29), Darren (63), Neil (60) & Archie (24), had taken the score to an already above par score of 190, the bowlers then chipped in a good couple or three overs at the end to amass a solid 226 for 9. The pick of the batsmen were Darren Kempson & Neil Alsemgeest. Neil with a fluent 60 with 4’s and a couple of first league 6’s, strokes all-round the ground that had discontented fielders chasing in lost hope, Darren’s innings was more in the bludgeoning mode once he had got himself in, and a ton was well within his grasp and he was mortified to get out to a slow looping full toss which he somehow managed to splice straight to short mid-wicket on 63 when the windows of the pavilion looked to be more in danger. After a nice tea supplied by our hosts, it was time for the ‘Bowlers’ to step up to the plate. The Dart’s openers started brightly before H trapped one of them plumb in front and sent stumps tumbling of their no.3, but it was the change bowlers of Billy Hally & Ryan Frisby that really swung the match in Heath’s favour. Ryan produced a beauty of a first ball to Dart’s regular 1st team run getter Chris Nicholson, a ball that swung and nipped back off the seam to clip the top of off stump. But I think Bill was the hard choice as pick of the bowlers whose 3 wickets cost just 39 runs off his 10 overs, even though he went for 5 consecutive 4’s in the middle of his spell. Jamie Tibbs came on as Steve’s saving pitcher and helped himself to a couple of clean bowled wickets against well set batsmen. Dartfordians finished well short at 170 for 9, a great effort by the bowlers considering 4 of them were in the U17 bracket. A last special mention must go to our fielding, which even according to their skipper after the game said we saved a good 30 runs, add that to the deficit of 20 or so runs by them then the 56 run win may have been different. A truly great start and onto Hayes away next week guys. Man of the match was a toss-up between Darren & Neil, who took the game away from the oppo, and I’m just giving it to Neil who got a bit of a grubber to get out, When Darren must be having nightmares over his dismissal.