Florry shines as Wells oust rivals in cup win
TUNBRIDGE Wells are through to round three of the National Cup after a fine victory over Blackheath.
Fred Florry led the way with 3-17 from his nine overs as Wells restricted Blackheath to 120 all out.
The response wasn't always easy, but Wells, held steady by Gregor Paterson, got the job done in just 27 overs.
"Overall it was a good weekend for us," skipper Evert Bekker said. "We were very happy to get the cup win against another Premier League side. It's just somewhat disappointing we couldn't get the league win on Saturday."
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Blackheath lost an opener to the first ball of the second over, and another two by the eighth, as Chris Williams (2-5) and Stephen Boyd (1-1) proved almost unplayable for the first 12 overs.
Aaron Alley and Faisal Shahid attempted to repair the damage, yet they too were removed, along with Stuart Fern, as the score sank to 43-6 after 21 overs of play.
Chris Willetts (24) showed exceptional technique as he withstood the seemingly inexorable progress of the home attack, and although his first partner left at 64, another 28 runs were ground out for the eighth stand, and it became clear that Blackheath would have a target to bowl at. Wells keeper Simon Routh was in his best form with two caught and one stumped.
Wells got off to a fine start as 34 runs came up in 44 balls as Alex Williams and Gregor Paterson made light of the situation. Blackheath were not out of the game, however, and 34-0 soon became 41-3 as the two Ahmeds, Iftikhar and Jahid, knocked over the early order, Paterson alone surviving. With a single required, Paterson gave a return catch, yet no praise could be too high for his path finding innings of 44 from 85 balls.
CHRIS Fenwick and Simon Routh's late stand proved decisive as Wells clung on for a point on Saturday as they drew with Canterbury in the Kent Premier League.
Chasing 230 for victory, the scoreboard showed 178-8 with all the main belligerents gone, yet somehow Routh extracted enough resistance from the last two batsmen to pilot his side to the draw.
Chris Fenwick lasted out the final over with ten fielders all around him.
"Simon and Chris held it together really well," Bekker said. "The problem was we kept losing wickets at the wrong time and were not able to string partnerships together. We just needed one of our batsmen to get a good score and that's something we are keen to address this weekend.
"We've got the Vine, who always have a very, very good side. It will make it an interesting encounter."
Canterbury batted first and a fine opening partnership of 151 between Dom Chambers (59) and James Lilley (109), that spanned just over 39 overs, set a platform from which a tall score beckoned. Wells fought back late on and Evert Bekker was the pick of the bowlers with a somewhat costly 5-71 as they were set 227-9.
The reply featured a brisk start from Alex Williams (27), which was nipped in the bud at 46 by Justin Macvicar, who then caused some serious damage as he plundered 4-30 in an eight-over burst within a straight 15-over stint. The home score stuttered to 98-4 from 155 balls before Jamie Baldwin (47) was joined by Bekker (49) in the best partnership of the chase. Sixty-one runs came from all but thirteen overs when Matthew Jenkinson put in a second destructive spell, with support from Ryan Minter (1-14 in four), as he picked up 3-6 in 19 balls that took out the usually immovable lower order, and almost took the visitors to victory.
Wells travel to local rivals Sevenoaks Vine tomorrow.
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