Having left it months to write match reports, the silly skipper has struck again, by putting the wrong report against the wrong game! The home fixture, as this report should be about, is accompanying the away fixture versus Stonewall Park, so I'll write the away fixture report against this one!!!

The forecast for this fixture had been bleak all week, with the opposition contacting asking to bring the start of the match forward or reducing the overs. As the silly skipper works Saturday mornings, he declined the invitation to start earlier but suggested that a reduction in overs could be negotiated on the day. So we duly arrived at Stonewall with a blanket of rain forecast for around 3pm. The skippers went out to toss. Stonewall were top and wanting to better Betsham result but they felt that they were in a very good position and that bonus points from the 2 games left would be enough for them to secure top spot. The Bearsted skipper wanted 8 points to absolutely ensure safety. A reduced game of 30 overs a side was agreed, more than Stonewall wanted, less than Bearsted. Stonewall won the toss and put Bearsted into bat. Because of the reduced overs, Haggart was promoted to open with Croom. After the first over and with Haggart back in the pavilion, having got his second duck in two innings when opening, it was decided that that plan should maybe be re-thought. Pearce in at 3, on the back of a hundred in his last game, was surely going to accelerate the scoring in mind of the reduced overs. Well he did (you can't lower the scoring rate from 0!), but to no real extent. The pitch was obviously affected by rain during the week and as Stonewall don't have covers, the bounce was a little erratic to say the least. In the first of Haggs two balls he was it on the helmet from a good length. Croom and Pearce also wore several deliveries and it was clear that scoring runs would be difficult. Croom departed for 7 which brought Filmer to the crease. He batted nicely for 15 before falling to an excellent catch. Paul Mancktelow came out and seemed more at ease with the conditions than the skipper, scoring 34 and outscoring his partner with some excellent shots and good running. Dan Dawson came in at 6 and smacked a 6 to make it look easy, Bearsted ending their 30 overs 122-4. Surely not enough runs to trouble the league leaders?

The message at tea was that if we bowled in good areas, like the Stonewall bowlers had, the pitch would be of assistance. Adamson and Marriner opened, the thinking being that with Matts pace the variation may be greater and Ollie's left arm for variety. The openers for Stonewall were intent on winning the game and doing it quickly, as the forecast rain was visible on the horizon, and it was by now much later than the forecast arrival time of 3pm. The opening bats both hit 3 fours and two sixes in their aggressive knocks but both were bowled by Adamson. Number 3 came and went quickly, another wicket for Adamson. Number 4 came out and seemed to drop anchor for Stonewall, wary of the inconsistent bounce. Steve Benjamin and John Haggart were introduced into the attack. Haggs took a wicket which had more to do with an excellent catch by Angus Kenny than it had to do with his bowling but we'll take it. 71-4. Still needing 50 odd for victory. Stevie B struck, removing number 6 and the score was 88-5. The Stonewall tail were reputed to not be up to much and their number 11 had "gone home". Frantic phone calls were being made to get him back to the ground.

Having already been off once in the second innings due to rain after 18.4 overs, the forecast rain finally arrived, putting paid to the chances of a result and a famous Bearsted victory. As a result of the abandonment, BCC had achieved 12 points, thus meaning that safety was achieved with just a game against Outwood at home to go in the 2025 season.