Walmer 219 beat Tonbridge 129 by 90 runs
TONBRIDGE remained in second place in Kent League Division Four despite slumping to a disappointing defeat at Walmer’s Hull Park.
Home skipper Tom Burnap won the toss and chose to bat first but the rapid Martin Batley (3 for 32) snared both openers in his first two overs with some well-directed short balls.
Burnap was joined by Martyn North, and the pair rebuilt the innings before two leg-before verdicts in favour of Nadeem Shehzad (3 for 30) restored Tonbridge’s advantage at 90 for 4.
Khurrum Shehzad (2-40) and Steve Hall (2-51), kept up the good work. But Burnap produced a captain’s innings of 51 and was well supported by the tailenders to reach a total of 219.
Tonbridge were soon reduced to 9 for 2 after the excellent Paul Holiday (4 for 20) forced both openers Paul Smiles and Chirag Patel to play on.
Mike Topham (71) and Ben Salt were once more left with a rebuilding job, and had recovered the innings to 61 for 2 before a further double strike by Holiday left Tonbridge in deep trouble.
Topham played an excellent innings but was fast running out of partners as the wiley spin of Burnap (3 for 27) and Graeme North (2 for 29) proved too tricky as the run-rate climbed.
Eventually the visitors were dismissed for 129 with more than 10 overs remaining.
The only solace for Tonbridge was that promotion rivals Catford Wanderers also lost.
At the halfway point of the season, Tonbridge will look to get back to winning ways when they entertain High Halstow on Saturday [July 7].
PICTURE: TOP EFFORT: Mike Topham dominated the Tonbridge innings
