TUNBRIDGE WELLS found themselves left out in the cold as the hailstones descended at the Nevill in their opening Kent League Premier Division contest of the season.
Will MacVicar showed why he is probably the best current all-rounder in the division as he provided the difference between the two sides.
His pulsating hundred steered them to safety, and he reached his century and nudged his side ahead of the revised target at the same time.
The toss was important and Wells lost it, finding themselves batting on a fair track with a lush outfield – but in chilling conditions.
Luke Sanders took the early prize of the home captain Chris Williams (23) and Sam Stickler as the top order subsided to 59 for 4.
Then Alex Williams and Will Stickler (23) combined to defy the Beckenham attack of pace and spin, adding 87 before the latter was adjudged to have feathered a catch to the keeper.
Williams found another accomplice in Ian Mclean and ran the fielders ragged in a rapid seventh-wicket stand of 49.
He finally departed to MacVicar (3 for 54) for a fine 74 off 90 balls with eight fours and a six, with four overs left to gather the fourth batting point.
MacVicar snapped up two wickets in two balls but Dave Smith and Mark Mclean produced 17 off the last over for the last wicket, and the visitors were left to make 236.
Wells snared two wickets as the reply moved to 49 and the captain removed Kent’s Alex Blake as they kept the runrate under control after a third-wicket stand of 93.
But then MacVicar stole the show with a dynamic century, raising his game as the light closed in and he upped the tempo just when it was required.
The Duckworth-Lewis Method was consulted to recalculate the target amid interruptions due to the weather, before the light was found to be too bad to continue.
With a startling precision, MacVicar ensured that his side were three runs ahead of the asking rate when the game ended, having just reached three figures himself.
Wells now face another key encounter at Lordswood on Saturday [May 11] – they came second last year, with Wells in third place.
