Tonbridge demonstrate undeniable six appeal

Addington Village CC 1st XI - 154 for 9

Tonbridge CC 1st XI - 157 for 2

Tonbridge made it six games without defeat after cruising to victory last weekend.

Having won the toss, Tonbridge took to the field at Poplar Meadow and were able to exert strong early pressure against the visiting Addington. Runs weren't easy to come by, resulting in Chirag Patel grabbing the first wicket with only six runs on the board. The introduction of 2024 top league wicket taker Khurram Shehzad didn't make things any easier. Khurram (4 for 12) first dismissed opener James Conway for 12, followed by Addington's number three and five. When Ben Peters was brought on and took a wicket in his first over, and Nadeem Shehzad got a well deserved victim near the end of his spell, the score sat on 59 for 6. With Tonbridge dreaming of chasing a double figure score, Tom Wooding would stand tall for the visitors, hitting six boundaries in total but also also mixing that in well with well run singles. The tail provided some resistance and helped Wooding to 70 not out, which frustrated the Tonbridge bowling attack. With 154 in the board at the end of the end of the innings, Addington could be pleased that they had something to defend.

The visitors were in need of early wickets, but Chirag Patel and Julius Marshall were in the mood for runs. Playing a series of expansive shots, both players got the Tonbridge innings off to a flyer, advancing the score beyond 50 in the ninth over. Wooding would continue his strong game by dismissing Marshall for 31, but Patel would continue onto his half century, his second of the season, before finally succumbing for 57. With a platform firmly in place, Martin Snow and Ollie Peake would take Tonbridge to an emphatic victory, scoring 33 not out and 14 not out, and with 16.4 overs left in the innings.

They travel to bottom placed Bapchild this weekend still sitting in third.