Linden Park: 146ao

Old Colfeians: 147–7

Park lost by 3 wickets

A CALAMITOUS day on Saturday has pretty much ended Linden Park's hopes of promotion from Kent League Three.

After three tough weeks in the pressure cooker, Linden Park's first team buckled against second-from-bottom Old Colfeians on Saturday.

On winning the toss, Park skipper Harvey knew that his hand was being forced by the state of the Division Three table. Twelve points behind second place meant that 16 were probably not enough as Linden Park moved into the last two weeks.

Left no choice, he was forced to bat first on a green, damp wicket, knowing it was the bowlers who were likely to prosper.

The quality of the Old Colfeians's opening 10 overs broke the spine of the Park batting. Pace duo Tom Gale and Henry Cullum found the perfect length and proved unplayable. Left-armer Gale, especially, tormented each Park batsman with the ball nipping both ways off the seam and zipping through with alarming pace.

Returning from a year-long injury, Anson was first out, caught at slip as he was beaten off the wicket. John Harvey attempted to take the attack to the bowling, but eventually nicked to the keeper. Lanaway (1) was back in the pavilion with his seat still warm, pinned in front by an off-cutter from Henry Cullum.

Only Mumbai magician Abhijit Kale could cope, his defence combined with judgment in leaving the moving ball enabling him to deal with everything.

Stuart Clarke briefly threw the shackles off as, second ball, he smeared Gale over cover-point and into the car park, but it was only brief defiance. He then attempted to repeat the effort and was clean-bowled, leaving the Park on 51-7. Michael Brown and Ollie Morkel battled on and inched Park past three figures.

The innings ended on 146, and Harvey knew that, without leading wicket-taker Ben Entacott, heroics were needed.

His call to arms at tea had an effect. After five tight overs at the top of the innings, Ed Humphries had Doug Gratton caught at square-leg, while the pace of Lanaway, at the other end, was causing problems.

Leading scorer Richard Harmer hammered two boundaries before cutting Lanaway to point and Old Colfeians were stuttering at 23-2.

Humphries soon had Manjeet Bara (5) caught at gully. Meanwhile, a stubborn partnership was building as opener Josh Kelleher started to find his range with Stephen Lee providing a dead bat approach.

Harvey brought Lanaway back into the attack and between them they hauled Park back into the game. Harvey trapped Lee in front and four overs later sent skipper Mark Quilter (17) back.

In the next over, Lanaway had Jack Warren (0) caught behind and suddenly, at 91-7, Old Colfeians were staring at defeat.

Then came disaster. In Lanaway's last over, Tom Gale attempted a pull. The ball went straight up in the air to square leg – and was dropped. The batsmen crossed and next ball, Lanaway found the edge of Peter Tarrant's bat. A regulation catch went to first slip – and was dropped.

What should have been 91-9 with nine overs remaining was 92-7, and with Lanaway out of the attack, the visitors eased home. Skipper Harvey was clear as to why Park have almost certainly missed the boat this season.

"We probably have not scored enough runs at times this season – but today I felt at tea we had enough. We had the chance to win the game and the chances we missed were not hard. To be 91-9 would have surely meant a positive result was coming our way but it's pressure that does funny things – and we have paid a very heavy price today."