2s defeated at Lenham

Bearsted 2s travelled to Lenham, with a side showing seven changes from the win against Bidborough. A further late change (30mins before the start!) saw John Savage switched from umpire to wicket keeper to ensure we took the field with a full side.

After losing the toss, we took to the field first, with Steve Benjamin and Lucas Brookman sharing the new ball.

It was Benjamin with the early breakthroughs, eventually bowling his 9 overs unchanged and taking 3-24, including the first of two good catches behind the stumps for John Savage.

Benjamin was replaced by John Haggart, who in turn bowled his 9 overs unchanged. With a bit of luck, Haggart could have picked up a couple of wickets, eventually finishing with 0-28 for his efforts.

Ben Lush (1-41) had replaced Brookman and picked up a wicket early in his spell. Lush also bowled right through, getting into his 9th over before delivering his only wide of the day.

Wickets fell at regular intervals with Brookman (2-33) getting reward in his second spell, one via a smart catch behind the stumps.

Issac Mariner (2-3) picked up his first senior wickets, while Jack Feehan (1-13) collected his first wicket of the season via a caught and bowled (he never drops a catch).

Lenham closed on 154/9 which looked a gettable score, although the outfield did not lend itself to quick scoring.

After an old school, real life tea provided by the opposition (thank-you!), Tim Lush and Haggart opened up the Bearsted response. They had put on 41, before Haggart (16) was the first wicket to fall.

The skipper, Tim Croom (0) fell to the next ball. Luke Stroud (1) survived the hat-trick ball, but soon followed back to the pavilion. Steve Benjamin (0) was hot on his heels and at 48/4, the target started to look more challenging.

Lucas Brookman (11) batted well, occupying the crease and helped Lush move the scoreboard, before Brookman was bowled by a delivery that cut back so much he could do little to stop it. Jamie Baker(0) came and went to leave the 2s at 88-6, with all hopes resting on the pair of Lushes.

Ben Lush (13) got the score to 122 before he was bowled leaving Tim Lush with the job of marshalling the tail to the winning target. Overs were not the problem, but when Tim Lush fell for a fine 74, Bearsted were unable to get the runs, eventually all out for 134.

Although a game that was there for the winning, Bearsted can have no complaints about the result. Next week sees a return to The Green as we entertain Luddesdowne.