Bromley crowned Kent champions

Kiwi Harris vital to Bromley's 2009 success

Bromley were crowned Kent Premier League champions after beating their rivals Hartley by just three runs in a thrilling climax to the 2009 season which sees the champions maintain their unbeaten record.

In a star-studded match, with Kent men James Hockley and Matthew Coles playing for Hartley and Rob Ferley turning out for Bromley, Hartley invited their visitors to bat first. Bromley began steadily with Miguel Barbosa the anchorman scoring 62.

A useful contribution of 42 by Alan Wells followed but Bromley were faltering at 191 for eight when Gaurav Dhar chipped in with an invaluable 34 to boost the Bromley total to 233 for nine at the close.

Hartley raced off in reply, Hockley adding 42 of the first fifty runs before falling to Ed Giddins. Sam Billings, 32 supported Nick Lee to take the total to 138 for two when Billings was run out.

Lee remained the danger man but received insufficient support from his lower order and when he went for 72, Hartley still required 17 to win with just two wickets in hand.

This proved just too many and with Chris Harris taking 4-53, Hartley fell agonisingly short by just three runs.

Bickley Park closed the gap on third placed Tunbridge Wells to 10 points by defeating their hosts at the Nevill.

Tunbridge Wells elected to bat first but found runs hard to come by against a steady Bickley attack who innovatively opened with young left arm spinner Freddie Vanden Bergh during the fielding restrictions.

Only Geoffrey Paulsen 32 and Richard Cutts 42 made real contributions but the others chipped in to help the home side to 194 for nine.

At 69 for four when hard hitting Nick Oldridge departed, the game was in the balance but Chris Coulson remained firm and found fine support from Phil Browning.

Coulson was dismissed for 84 but Browning stayed to the end finishing unbeaten on 39 to clinch the points for Bickley.

The three remaining matches featured sides in danger of relegation with bottom-placed Beckenham being totally outplayed in all departments by a well-disciplined performance with bat and ball by visitors Bexley.

Bexley made a solid start and at 86 for two Adam Ball joined Jack Bell and they began to push the score along against some indifferent Beckenham bowling.

Ball departed for a breezy 51 but Bell continued to an excellent 101 as Bexley closed on a useful total of 245 for seven.

All five Bexley bowlers bowled well, sharing the wickets evenly between four of them and with the exception of a useful 35 from William McVicar, the less said about Beckenham's batting, the better.

They will need to pull out all the stops against Bromley next week if they want to keep alive any hopes of staying in the top flight next year.

St Lawrence are also still hanging on to Premier cricket by their fingernails and did their cause little good when they were beaten at home by Sevenoaks Vine, a side also in need of points.

The Sevenoaks side batted first and thanks to knocks of 85 by Matt Banes and Fabian Cowdrey 65, set St Lawrence a chase of 261. St Lawrence were let down by their batting and collapsed to a disappointing 154 all out.

This win ensures Sevenoaks Vine will play Premier cricket in 2010 and leaves St Lawrence with work to do at Bickley next week to ensure survival.

The final encounter of the day was again between two sides close to the bottom where Blackheath emerged victorious over Gore Court at the Rectory Field.

Gore Court restricted Blackheath to 203 for seven with the major contributions coming from Simon Williams 68 and Aaron Alley 47.

The Blackheath pace attack of Ruel Brathwaite (4-48) and Victor Mpitsang (3-24) proved too much for Gore Court as they slumped to 120 all out.

This leaves St Lawrence and Blackheath on equal points of 138, with Gore Court ninth on 128 and Beckenham on 124.

Whilst the Champions have been decided, the scrap for relegation continues to the final Saturday. Any two from four can still stay up but none have an easy task next Saturday.

Beckenham must visit Champions Bromley, Gore Court host Hartley, St Lawrence travel to Bickley and Blackheath to Sevenoaks. There are several permutations but any of the bottom four that win have a chance to stay up.