Wells journeyed to Bexley for the final match of a great Season, knowing that a win was needed to maintain the third spot that they had occupied since June 20th. The wicket looked likely to offer something to both sides, and the home XI won the toss and chose to bat first.

   Geoff Paulsen at once hit his lines, and removed Nihir Dasandi and Ian Sels lbw as the score rose to 22, while Mark Smith had a double strike in his opening over which further reduced the innings to 30-4 after twelve overs. Bexley were on the back foot hereafter, but a quality performance from youngster Adam Ball again held up Wells as they strove to finish off the batting. Alex Pinnock gave support as the score was doubled, but further inroads left Ball standing alone on 36* at 90-7. Fred Florry and Oli Priestman grabbed a wicket apiece, while Smith ran out keeper Daniel Haley, yet finally Jason Benn and Adam Riley stood firm as Ball took the initiative, reaching an admirable and vital half-century from 93 balls of sturdy defiance. Gradually, the score was pushed along under Ball's guidance, until he was finally dismissed hitting out at Evert Bekker (2-8) for a remarkable 73 having taken the score from 22-2 to 150-9 in 134 minutes of endeavour. Bekker finished off the innings at 166, and Wells were set to make 167 for a first-ever tenth win in the Premier Division.

   Simon Routh, the evergreeen visiting 'keeper, reached his 383rd First XI match for Wells since 1980, and incidentally took his no-byes tally to 978 runs through seven matches, a sequence begun on 18 July, before Priestman got one past him : he was to remain top of the Premier statistics for 2009, however, with 17 catches and four stumpings - a wonderful effort.

   The reply also suffered early setbacks, and at 24-2, Bexley must have felt that they were in the game, with Benn picking up 2-12 by the eighth over. Paulsen, nonetheless, settled in once again, and proceeded to play with both certainty and aggression as he took the game by the scruff of the neck while adding 111 with Will Stickler (29) for the third partnership. Paulsen reached a hard-hit 83 in that time, with twelve fours and one six, although two half-chances eluded the home fieldsmen after he had passed his fifty. Upon Stickler's dismissal, Priestman also came and went, but Richard Cutts stayed with Paulsen as he went to his century, and, shortly afterwards, smote the winning runs from Jack Bell. Altogether, he made an undefeated 108 from 28 overs (16 fours and that one six), which was a Premier record fifth hundred of 2009, and his unbroken stand with Cutts of 30* saw his side home with six wickets and some thirteen overs in hand. The 18-point tally took Wells up to 229 points, another 'best' for them, and secured third place in the Division for the XI, for the first time since 1998.

   The result brought a remarkable campaign to its conclusion, but it must also be said that Bexley's return to the Premier echelons had been highly successful as well, and they can rejoice in the safety of fifth place in the lists, representing a welcome and merited achievement in the top flight.

   Paulsen, with 850 runs, easily topped the Premier Batting aggregates, while Smith came second in the Bowlers' lists with 34 wickets.

   Wells won the toss and chose to bat, and faced the innovative pairing of paceman Barry Hooper with the spin of young Freddie Vandenberg. However, openers Evert Bekker and Gregor Paterson raced to 30 from six overs before the bowlers found their lines, and runs generally became hard to find until the very end of the innings.

   Geoffrey Paulsen (36) at times made light of the predominantly spin attack, but a cannily-set field allowed no liberties, and the occasional boundary became the exception rather than the rule. After twentyfive overs, Wells had reached 87-2, but shortly afterwards Bickley snapped up two quick wickets and a recovery was required despite the stranglehold beginning to engulf the innings. Bowling cleverly to their fields, Paul Clinton and James Soulsby brought the runrate down to below three-per-over, and Phil Browning continued the tight work as the score drifted from 98-4 to 117-5 in the all-important middle overs. The forty-over mark arrived with Wells on 122-5, when Richard Cutts (42) marshalled a much-needed crescendo of scoring that took the total along to 168-7, and the tail crashed 26 more in the remaining four overs to leave a target of 195 for the win. Cutts took a while to reconnoitre, but, once into his stride, played a fine aggressive knock with his final 31 coming from four overs, but the mid-innings lull was to become a critical factor in the match.

   The chase suffered two early losses, and, after ten overs, the Bickley score had been reduced to 27-3 with Paulsen grabbing 2-16 in a dynamic start for Wells. A fiercely-hit 32 from Nick Oldridge briefly threatened the bowlers' control, while Oli Priestman picked up Hooper at 94-5, and the game continued to veer first one way and then the other. Skipper Chris Coulson meanwhile had moved ominously to a secure not out 34, and his skill in placement now brought him vital boundaries in a key partnership that turned the match. The sixth stand held as Browning kept up an end, now and again reaching the fence to relieve the burden upon Coulson, and gradually 79 runs were put together in twenty overs to take Bickley to the brink of victory. Coulson reached a splendidly-paced half-century after 64 balls of grim concentration, and, when finally his 130-minute vigil ended at 173-6, he had directed a remarkable turnabout in a bowlers' game. His 84 included 13 fours from 105 balls, and still six overs remained for the match to be decided one way or the other. Browning now opened up, and, with Soulsby also reaching the boundary, lashed Bekker for four and six to win the game, still with 22 balls in hand, to come in undefeated on 39* as Bickley emerged triumphant by four wickets.

   Wells again took just four points from the game, but retain their position in the table, while Bickley closed the gap to ten points between the two sides : a win for either team in the final match on September 5 could decide the tussle for the third place in the 2009 Premier rankings.

   Wells batted first after winning the toss, and quickly suffered a series of setbacks as the score was reduced to 20-3 after eleven overs. Ed Giddins and Tom Mees commanded the utmost respect from the very start, and the second pairing of Grant Sheen and Chris Harris offered little respite, with the result that the score further deteriorated to a nadir of 60-5 after twentyeight overs. Giddins had figures of 2-27 at this stage.

   Evert Bekker had opened and withstood these disasters, and now he found a steady partner as Richard Cutts joined him to post a fluent and comfortable 68 for the sixth wicket which was marked by good running and safe shot-placement. Bekker came to an outstanding half-century after 104 balls of watchful defiance, but then advanced far down the wicket to Gaurav Dhar and was comprehensively stumped. Cutts continued to gather runs in a confident, busy manner, and saw the score to a second batting point in company with Chris Williams, while guiding his side to a total that at least offered respectabilty. His second undefeated fifty of 2009 against Bromley materially rescued his side from collapse, and occupied 77 balls with two fours, and allowed Wells to ask Bromley to make 184 for victory, which represented a welcome recovery after the faltering start.

   The reply was set in motion by skipper James Butterfill and Alan Wells, who proceeded to flay some wayward bowling during the restricted-field overs at the outset of the innings. Exemplary control came from Geoffrey Paulsen with 2-16 from his first seven overs but Chris Lawrence went for 38 in four overs, and the fifty came after nine overs before Wells struck back. The next sixteen overs were a fairer contest as both sides fought for dominion, and at drinks, Bromley had raised the score to 109-3. Fred Florry now grabbed two quick wickets to send the innings to 115-5, Harris having been superbly caught at short mid-on by Paulsen from a full-blooded pull, and so for a second time in the match, Wells had recovered to pose a threat.

   The depth and sheer expertise of the Bromley side was now brought to bear, as Nicky Bluett and Paul Harrison closed out the distant possibility of defeat in adding an unbroken 69, punctuated by crisp drives and cultured strokeplay. Towards the end, three chances were indeed offered, but none was taken, and the League Leaders coasted to a five-wicket win to maintain their domination of the KL Premier Division. Bluett (22*) reached the fence five times during his innings, while the belligerent Harrison managed seven fours and two sixes in his match-clinching not out 46 from 41 balls. Florry came away with 2-25 despite some rare late punishment as the victory neared.

   Wells managed four points from the game, and retain their third spot in the table, but will now have to fight a little more to retain that position : Bickley Park, who visit The Nevill on August 29, can also take third place, and so the match has an added interest for the 09 campaign.

   St.Lawrence won the toss and elected to bat first at Highland Court, and the excellent track played well for the whole match, allowing batsmen to profit on the benign surface.

   Wells sent back Sean French at 42 after twelve overs, and generally restricted the runrate up to the drinks break at 81-3, with Geoffrey Paulsen and Chris Lawrence setting a frugal tone which skipper Mark Smith later emulated. Dominic Chambers kept a steady vigil throughout this time, having reached an accomplished fifty, but no partnership had been established to give the innings solidity. Wells tried some spin hereabouts, and immediately gained reward as Fred Florry sent back Alex Day at 93, yet Chambers now found an ally in Oliver Durell (20) as 58 runs were posted for the fifth wicket. Smith (2-31) and Lawrence (2-50) soon broke through with a brace of dismissals at 188, although Chambers still remained unbeaten, having reached a delightful century, from 148 balls, to guide his team towards a respectable total. The last six overs witnessed a relative onslaught as 46 were plundered in an unbroken eighth partnership of exactly 50 to send the total on into the comfort of 238-7 as the overs ran out. Chambers carried his bat for a shrewd and controlling innings of 122*, which included ten fours and one six through three hours of watchful batsmanship, without which the home effort would have looked meagre indeed. Alistair Neale came in with a pugnacious not out 30 (four fours), which allowed St.Lawrence to reach the maximum batting points requirement, and the Wells attack also could feel satisfied with their collective work in accounting for seven batsmen. Fred Florry came away with 2-45.

   The chase immediately presented St Lawrence with the prized scalp of Mark Alexander, and Evert Bekker departed at 42, but there the success for the home bowlers ended. Paulsen now became associated with Will Stickler as the third partnership took shape, each player growing in confidence the longer the effort persisted. The fifty came up after twenty overs at 93-2, and a crescendo of attacking play saw both batsmen reach their own landmark fifties with twentyeight overs gone. Paulsen now accelerated further, with Stickler in hot pursuit, and the 150 was passed without loss, then the 200 was brought up with Paulsen's second six. The remaining runs came from six further overs, and Paulsen reached a commanding and utterly proficient century, his fourth of the campaign, from 103 balls, allowing Stickler the honour of taking the winning runs from the home skipper's second over. In all, the unbroken third wicket stand added a record 199 runs, Stickler returning to form with a vengeance, his outstanding 79-ball 84 containing 13 fours, while Paulsen notched fourteen fours and two sixes in his sure-footed masterpiece. The win - a record ninth of the season for Wells - took their points tally past 200 for the first time in top-flight cricket, and maintained their third position in the table. With three matches remaining, all brimful of exciting potential, all possibilities remain open to the XI, and their wonderful year continues to set new standards.

   For the coming weekend, Wells welcome Bromley CC, current League Leaders, to The Nevill for a top-of-the-table clash whose outcome can surely settle several issues.

   Wells won the toss and asked Vine to bat on a slightly damp top at The Nevill, but conditions could not account for the momentous opening to the match. The ball seamed under a hot sultry sun as the pitch dried, but the movement did not explain the astonishing collapse that greeted the first eight overs from Geoffrey Paulsen and Ben Entacott.

   The Vine innings was in tatters at 9 for 6, Entacott having taken 3-4 and Paulsen 3-5 in that time. Shot selection was indifferent, and the attack was very accurate, but the procession of batsmen was quite unique. A counter-attack was launched by skipper Alex Rayner, partnered by Luke Blackaby, as 52 runs were added for the seventh wicket in fifteen overs of defiance, but the introduction of spin at this point saw the innings fold at 82 after 31.2 overs. Blackaby was removed by Oli Priestman for a battling 18, but Rayner carried out his bat for a remarkable 39 which included five fours, and at least ensured that his bowlers had something to defend.

   The reply began with a flurry of boundaries as the score was raised to 29-1, which also included as many as six wides, but suddenly Chris Rainger found his aim, and produced, in partnership with Tom Parsons, as penetrating and hostile a spell of bowling as could be imagined in the circumstances. Rainger grabbed 4-16, of which the first three were clean-bowled, and the innings floundered to 57-5 with sixteen overs bowled. Paulsen had withstood the onslaught for twelve overs, but he managed just a single scoring shot in that time, although his example served to keep Wells in the game despite the losses at the other end. Youngster Chris Williams now played a crucial knock, both streaky and refined shots finding the fence, and gradually the score was raised to the seventies with the two opening bowlers having finished their amazing stints. Williams then fired a catch to short long-on, but at this point Richard Cutts was joined by Simon Routh ~ an association already well-proven in 2009 ~ and the remaining runs were gathered in safely, although it must be noted that a catch dropped behind the wicket at 68-6 could have made the tense situation all but terminal. This calamity was avoided, however, and the second three-wicket win for Wells over The Vine was hauled in after 24.3 nervous overs. Ten wides and six other extras figured in the total, a profligacy that could be ill-afforded in the context of the low scores.

   Notwithstanding the tremendous fightback from the Sevenoaks side, the win was the eighth in 2009 for Wells, which equalled the Premier record they set in 1998, and the low-scoring match rounded off the four local encounters of 2009 with all four being won by Wells. The result kept the side at third spot in the Table, and a journey to St Lawrence beckons for the coming Saturday, 15 August, as the XI strive to stay in touch with the leaders.

   The TW First XI were kept in check by much canny spin bowling from the Blackheath attack, but did enough to keep going, reaching 85-2 after 25 overs. Geoffrey Paulsen added 64 with Gregor Paterson (30) for the second stand, and then put on an accelerating 71 with Chris Williams (29) for the fourth wicket while notching a hard-fought 50 in that time. The start of the final six overs saw Paulsen depart for a delightful pathfinding 88, and three further wickets fell as the chase for points and safety realised 10-per-over, and the score reached 238-7 as the overs ran out. Skipper Mark Smith crashed a 20-ball undefeated 34 to round off the innings.

   Blackheath quickly tottered to 10-2 as Chris Fenwick broke through on his return to the side, then a dropped slip catch allowed some respite before Fenwick added a third at 30. No further success came for Wells as Aaron Alley and Peter Dean took the score speedily to 78-3 from 19 overs, when rain forced the Umpires to lead the teams off, and play could not be re-started thereafter. Fenwick took 3-22 in his eight-over spell, and Wells took eleven points from the game to remain third in the table, with Vine to play at The Nevill on 8 August.

   After winning the toss and batting at The Foxgrove, Wells were at once in trouble when Mat Harvie had Mark Alexander well held at slip without a run on the board. Immediate repair was put in place as Geoffrey Paulsen (28) played forcefully in adding 52 runs for the second stand with Evert Bekker. A special effort from Ollie Howick had Paulsen removed caught-and-bowled, but Bekker continued to play responsibly in reaching a fluent and vital 50 with support coming from Will Stickler (24) before the latter was smartly stumped at 101-3 after 24 overs.

   The introduction of Johan Malcolm into the attack now looked to turn the game towards Beckenham as he straightaway caused difficulties with his clever off-spin, which brought him 5-24 in little more than nine overs. Following the foolhardy run-out of Bekker for 60 precious runs, Malcolm began to work his way through the late Wells order, but he was thwarted by a defiant 45-ball rearguard from skipper Mark Smith, who held the innings together with a resolute knock of 40, which took Wells to exactly 200 and a third batting point as the innings ended two overs shy of the allocation.

   The reply saw Chris Isles and Leigh Walker race away in the face of some ill-directed early bowling, whereupon Paulsen entered the attack to trap the Beckenham skipper LBW with his first ball, and he then induced a catch from Walker to leave the home score at 40-2. Alex Blake started to bat freely, with some trademark drives, to re-focus the chase, before Paulsen again snapped up a brace of wickets to leave the innings at 90-4 after 18 overs. Next, Malcolm fell to a dazzling one-handed catch by Richard Cutts, from Fred Florry's left-arm spin, and Smith accounted for William MacVicker (24) who had hitherto looked at ease. Beckenham were now in deep trouble at 106-6 with 95 still needed from 25 overs.

   At this point, Simon Evans began to play a highly capable rescue innings, receiving notable support from Duncan Spencer and the tail, with the result that the runs began to come as both sides strove for the win. Eventually, last man Mudit Dayal joined Evans at 143-9, and, in a manner long familiar to the visiting XI, Dayal held an end up while Evans skilfully manoeuvred the strike, reaching a truly excellent 50 en route. With the target getting ever nearer, Smith had used up his regular bowlers' stints and he turned to youngster Chris Williams: unhappily for Beckenham, Williams' only delivery induced a catch behind the wicket to remove Evans, and Wells had prevailed by a mere 17 runs. The last wicket had added a nerveless forty runs.

   The result kept the TW side in third place in the table, but widened the gap upon their chasing rivals, who were both defeated. Their next match will be against Blackheath CC at The Nevill. 

   Gore Court won the toss, and, no doubt heedful of the big scores made at The Nevill in 2009, decided to bat first. The track, however, had demons within after the rains midweek, and a strong breeze drove across the wicket as the innings commenced.

   Geoffrey Paulsen and Ben Entacott found just enough swerve in the conditions to upset the batting techniques, and a surreal passage of play followed in which the innings subsided to 26-4 with just seven overs bowled. The rescue was attempted by Christian Marsh and Chris Piesley, but the home bowlers were impossible to resist as four wickets fell after the fifty had been reached, and still only fourteen overs had been completed. The tail gave a brief flicker of defiance but the rout was wound up at 77 after a mere 93 minutes of play. Shot selection had been problematic, but there was no real explanation for the total eclipse that had been observed, as the reply was to demonstrate all too clearly. And so an unwanted record was created, as this was the lowest Premier score at The Nevill from an Opposition Team, and Wells were left to make 78 for victory. Paulsen bagged his first KL five-wicket haul (5-34), while Entacott snapped up 4-33, Oli Priestman removing the last man with one that kept low, but, although the bounce was somewhat unreliable, the lateral movement extracted by the two openers was conclusive. Four catches were taken behind the wicket, two at slip, while the stumps were hit four times in addition.

   16-y-o Chris Williams accompanied Evert Bekker as the home innings set off, but, notwithstanding a high-quality boundary in the second over, he did not last, and the wicket at 15 was the last on an extraordinary day. Bekker settled in, despite offering an easy chance to square-leg shortly after, and, partnered by Will Stickler, these two steered the ship home by putting up a watchful yet effective second partnership of 65 which was enough to reel in the nine-wicket win, the match finishing unbelievably at ten minutes to three in the afternoon. Bekker came in with an undefeated 43 (6 fours) and Stickler notched a not out 27 with five boundaries.

   Wells maintained their position at third in the Premier Table with this first victory in the Win/Lose format, and will visit lowly Beckenham next week, whose XI is now approaching full strength after some dire vicissitudes.

   Wells asked Hartley to bat first at the Country Club Ground, but this was merely to invite a continuation of the devastation wrought the previous week by James 'Iceman' Hockley and Justin Guillen.

   The Win/Lose format meant that seven men were within the circle at the outset, and the small boundary on one side was a massive temptation, not to be ignored as the home openers launched the attack for 120 runs from the first fifteen overs. At least skipper Mark Smith had the joy of removing Hockley with his first ball, but the Iceman had collected 65 with 12 boundaries already, while Guillen by then had reached a 37-ball 50, and the carnage seemed unstoppable.

   Min Patel (31) continued the alarming pace of scoring, while, despite the rampaging Guillen (20 fours and 3 sixes), Wells fought back admirably, with Smith collecting 5-43 to maintain his spot at the head of the Premier wicket-takers for 2009. Geoffrey Paulsen (2-52) with Oli Priestman (2-59) assisted as they all worked their way through the list so effectively that the Hartley innings was completed at 319 after 49.4 overs. Guillen was removed by Ben Entacott at 253, the third caught-and-bowled of the day, for a brutal 141, but the middle order was swept aside together with the tail in a passage of play that saw Wells take eight wickets for just 66 runs after the initial massive scoring. 'Keeper Simon Routh went through a fourth game without conceding a bye, and the Wells groundwork and catching were first-rate in the face of the heavy assault from numbers one-to-three in the order.

   The reply was more of a procession than a chase, and the target of 225 as a consolation was also effectively removed as the score plunged to 75-7. Sam Stickler and Richard Cutts (18) both offered some sensible resistance, while for Hartley, Andy Tutt (4-30) was in imperious form. Early on, the home bowlers had reduced the score to 30-4, with a double strike from Matt Coles removing Paulsen and Priestman, after a mere eight overs of play, and the remaining twenty overs served to bring the total up to 106 before the final wicket was captured. The monstrous defeat was at least not as great as that suffered by Gore Court, but of the 213-run deficit, 206 had come from the two prolific openers alone.

   Wells face Gore Court at The Nevill in the next Win/Lose game, on 18 July, and they remain at third place in the Premier Table despite the defeat on the day.

   One of the most wonderful games of cricket was fully played out by two well-matched sides, with the outcome in doubt until a desperately-rushed two from the very last ball of the contest decided matters in favour of Wells, following a magnificent late fightback. There were heroes a-plenty for both teams, an undefeated centurion on either side, and a large crowd of supporters from both camps, together with the attendance of the home Vice-Presidents and friends on a special day set aside for a HogRoast, and the cricket lived up to every expectation for an appreciative audience.

   Bexley won the toss and batted first on a perfect track in sapping sunshine, and, surprisingly, lost four wickets en route to 86 from the opening 26 overs. The home attack was frugal and well-directed, but the youthful Kent Colt Adam Ball had already given notice of a special ability, and he now played a remarkable innings for some forty overs of skilful application, as first he rebuilt the effort, and latterly made it seemingly safe. Given notable support, initially from Ian Sels (23), and then Jason Benn (21), 79 runs were made for the sixth stand, followed by 52 for the seventh. Ball moved with no discernible error past his 50, and on to a cultured century from 118 balls with seventeen fours, and took his side to 250-9 from the 55 overs, emerging at the end undefeated with 118 runs to his name. The Wells 'keeper, Simon Routh, completed a third consecutive innings without conceding a bye, and a remarkable direct-hit run-out from Chris Williams exemplified the home groundwork, which was safe and competitive throughout.

   The chase was soon troubled as the openers were removed while 16 runs were posted, but this merely brought Geoff Paulsen into the fray, and a truly immense personal achievement from him kept the match alive as the Bexley attack strove to dominate the second half of the game. Oli Priestman assisted Paulsen as 60 runs came for the third partnership, but this was trumped when the visiting bowlers prised out five wickets for a further 62 runs to leave the Wells innings in disarray at 139-7 after 38.1 overs. Paulsen had withstood this destruction, having made 76 hard-fought runs at this point, and finally he found a doughty partner in the evergreen Routh as the eighth wicket held for all but the last ball of the game. With victory requiring 112 runs from 101 balls, the equation was difficult, but these two played out an epic rearguard, at first settling in and then moving at the necessary pace. 60 were needed from 7 overs as Paulsen stepped out to smash the spin of Adam Riley for a straight six, and Routh was no less forthright as the acceleration kept abreast of the rate, and the last over arrived at length with eight to win. A boundary from Routh released the tension, but, with two extras scrambled, he was run-out from the fifth ball ... however, Paulsen managed two from the final ball after the ghost of a misfield, and, with Chris Fenwick, raced through to complete the win in front of a cheering crowd, whose enjoyment on the occasion was brought to the brink by the tremendous home recovery.

   Paulsen's phenomenal third hundred in nine innings spanned 179 balls, with fourteen fours and one six, and he came in undefeated on 142. No praise could be too high for his allround efforts, for, in addition he sent down fifteen overs (2-51 with 4 maidens), took a fine slipcatch and achieved a run-out. Routh hit up an invaluable 40 (4 fours) in a new record eighth partnership of 110, without which the last-ditch rescue would have been impossible. A great game was thus won by Wells, in an effusion of emotion, giving the spectators a real match to remember, in which Bexley fully played their part: they fielded like tigers in the closing stages. Wells took sixteen points from the game, to maintain their position of third in the table at the halfway point of the campaign.

   The Win/Lose format commences from 11 July, as Wells visit Hartley, whose monumental destruction of Gore Court presages an interesting encounter.

   The toss went with the home side, who batted straight away in great heat, only for an early wicket to go down in the fourth over.

   Repair was gradually achieved, despite tight lines from the attack, as James Lincoln (47) supported Richard Clinton in a second partnership of 94 in 29 overs which provided the platform for subsequent development. However, Geoff Paulsen stepped in to the breach to cover for a reassembled bowling rota, and Chris Fenwick, with 2 for 18 in an otherwise expensive spell, reduced the innings to 158-5, and the contest was open for all outcomes. Newly-reinstated skipper Chris Coulson (61) now played a pivotal knock in company with Alex Darroch (38*) which saw the game transformed as 97 runs were crashed in 14 overs, and the initiative passed to the home side as the innings closed on 255-7. Paulsen emerged with a highly creditable 4-43 in his new role, while Clinton's 83 (10 fours and 1 six) anchored the recovery in the initial stages and set up the late assault from Coulson and Darroch, who struck ten and five fours respectively in their lively late association.

   The reply, following recent trends, subsided to 83-6, with only Paulsen (33) resisting the irrepressible Barry Hooper (5-54), but this simply set the scene for a third consecutive fifty partnership between recovery specialists Richard Cutts and Simon Routh which took the score on to the relative respectability of 151-6 in a new record seventh partnership. A rain delay took 26 minutes out of the chase time, but Cutts moved serenely to a second KPL fifty in consecutive games (8 fours) before he and Routh were both dismissed to open the way for the home attack. It seemed to be all over at this point, but 16-y-o Chris Williams now played an astonishing tour de force, slamming an unbeaten 44 in 27 balls with seven fours and a six, insolently launching Hooper into the deepfield en route to a record ninth stand with the supportive Fenwick. The return of Richard Horner put paid in two balls to this resistance, bringing the game to a close at 19.55 with a win for Bickley Park by 51 runs. The Wells fightback had given them several nasty moments, however, before they could finally bask in the glory of victory, and reflect upon the 20 points just gained. The match marked Routh's 375th First Team appearance since 1980, and he gave a peerless wicket-keeping exhibition, letting no byes for a second match running.

   Wells face Bexley on the coming Saturday at The Nevill, in the last 'normal' match of the 2009 Season, as Win/Lose rules take over thereafter for the final nine games.

   Wells faced a tussle at the head of the Table when they visited Bromley, and were asked to bat first when the home side won the toss.

   The powerful Bromley attack was quickly into its stride, as Matt Dennington removed Mark Alexander in his second over, and a double strike from Matthew Isaacs reduced the score to 25-3. Sam Stickler (33) defied the bowling for twenty-seven overs, but support was swept away until Richard Cutts helped him to add 35 for the sixth partnership, although Chris Harris (2-32) and Tom Mees further cut down the total to a nadir of 89-7. Simon Routh now joined Cutts, and, resolutely, these two repaired and then consolidated the innings, continuing as though unaffected from the match two weeks before. Slowly but ever more safely, notwithstanding the odd chance, the heroic rearguard was fashioned as these two batsmen put together a spirited unbroken 86 for the eighth wicket, which endured throughout the remaining overs, and finally attained a second batting point at 175 as the innings came to a close. Routh ended on a battling not out 38 (5 fours), while Cutts notched a valorous maiden Premier half-century with seven fours in a 29-over undefeated 66. The manner in which these two rebuilt the innings was entirely praiseworthy, and ensured that the home batsmen had at least a respectable target to chase.

   The Bromley innings also suffered an early setback when Geoff Paulsen sent back Paul Harrison, but such success was short-lived as Nadeem Shahid (49) and Grant Sheen pulled away in a brisk partnership of 70 in 15 overs which averted the danger. 130-2 was reached soon afterwards, with Sheen then departing to the spin of Gregor Paterson for a splendidly-compiled 62 (10 fours), made at a gallop, as the visiting attack proved overmuch to be wayward. Nonetheless, the match still had another phase, with Chris Fenwick returning for a dramatic second spell that brought him a burst of 3-8 in six overs, and the innings slipped to 160-6 as a result. Throughout this passage of play, Chris Harris had remained unperturbed, at length resolving the issue in company with skipper James Butterfill, and Bromley passed the Wells score without further loss, pocketing 16 points in the process as they retained their presumptive place at the head of the Table.

   Wells slipped to third spot as Hartley also produced a bat-second win,  although they remain only eighteen points off the lead, with much to to be gained before the format changes for the win/lose 'back nine' after 11 July. 

   In damp and darkly overcast conditions, Wells asked the home side to bat first after winning the toss, and soon found that the wicket gave assistance, although the advantage was to some extent squandered in the early exchanges.

   Vine began with an elegant vignette from Chris Hammond, who launched the innings with 22 out of 29 before attempting something expansive, as the opening bowlers strove to find their lines. There then followed a poor phase of cricket that affected both teams, while ultimately benefitting the home side, as Mark Smith's first three overs saw three catches spilled, and three more besides at the other end: poor visibility being only partly involved. Alex Williams profited from at least two lives, and Josh Staines twice also, and this pairing took the score to 105 in fits and bursts before Mark Alexander pouched the first of three slip catches to remove Staines for a patchy 33. Smith now revealed great resilience following earlier injustices as he snapped up three wickets in eleven balls, including top-scoring Williams for 45, as the score slid to a more representative 117-6. Ollie Priestman added 2-34 before the seventh wicket resistance transformed the innnings in a quality recovery led by skipper Alex Rayner. Supported by the hard-hitting James Day (37), Rayner (40) fashioned a fighting rearguard that added a vital 70 runs (6 fours and a six) in 21 overs as the total assumed real substance. Day was eventually very well taken by Priestman in the deep, and two more wickets fell to provide maximum points, yet the last pair somehow contrived a final flourish as the innings closed at 208-9.

   The reply was in disarray at 59-4 as Day (4-41) removed the big scorers of the campaign within the first fifteen overs, but Alexander remained, albeit with a runner, bristling with defiance, and not out 18 at this point. Another wicket fell shortly afterwards, whereat 17-y-o Sam Stickler joined Alexander in a courageous & combative partnership that added 63 precious runs in sixteen overs to set the innings back on course. Alexander reached an epic half-century in this time, lashing two vast sixes soon afterwards, altogether aggregating a remarkable 74. Stickler, although battered by the speedsters, played no less bravely, adding a six of his own and a brace of fours, while also withstanding the 'mystery' bowler 'Mozza' Holmes. As is the way, however, both fell within a few balls of one another, leaving Richard Cutts and Simon Routh to face the last ten overs with 51 runs required for the win. Cutts safely withstood the last few overs from Day while Routh attacked the spin of Rayner, and, by excellent running and productive strokeplay, these two whittled down the task until the victory came with just two balls to spare. The thrilling chase revealed great resolve in the later batting, and the roller-coaster win served to keep Wells ahead in the table, as 16 points were taken in a gripping contest that grew steadily in interest as completion neared. The unbroken eighth stand was worth 54* in all, with the lower order adding 153 for only three wickets as the team showed praiseworthy winning spirit despite much adversity.

   Wells visited Blackheath on a warm, breezy day, and, after winning a good toss, elected to bat first on a much-improved track at The Rectory Field.

   The opening twenty overs brought Will Stickler and Gregor Paterson a healthy seventy runs for the first wicket, but both departed shortly afterwards, allowing in Geoff Paulsen and Ollie Priestman to put up 76 for the third partnership as the run platform was created. The pace was dramatically increased as overs 40 to 54 brought a dazzling 118 runs with dynamic effect, Mark Smith racing to a 41-ball fifty (four fours) and Paulsen adding a blitzing 68 in 49 balls with 12 fours and a six. The acceleration was devastating in its demolition, and the home attack suffered accordingly. A final total of 283-5 was the fourth major total posted by the XI in five outings, and confirmed the magnificent early form shown so far. Paulsen's glorious 117, his second ton of the campaign, occupied a lively 105 balls. As if this was not enough, Blackheath further underwent the indignity of a point deducted for their slow over-rate.

   The classical winning blueprint continued to be followed as the home batting steadily succumbed to a rampant and exuberant attack, although the bowlers endured some fierce punishment when Peter Dean and Warren Lee went after them. Chris Fenwick made a welcome early breakthrough, with Chris Lawrence adding the home skipper a few overs later, but again it was Priestman and Smith who seized the lion's share of the spoils. Dean and Lee took the score to 74-2 with counter-attacking play that briefly threatened the course of the match, but, once parted, there was resistance only from Ruel Braithwaite as the victory was inexorably pursued. The last six wickets were captured while 36 runs were made, almost all to Braithwaite (29), as Priestman returned 4-28, and Smith chipped in with 3-20, including two-in-two. The winning margin was a massive 157 runs, and the team thus maintained their position at the head of the table, with neither Hartley nor Bromley below them winning.

   The next weekend sees the XI away at The Vine to Sevenoaks, who beat Hartley at the Country Club Headquarters, with the prospect of another highly entertaining match as both sides seek to add to their laurels.

   Played out in great humidity and heat at the start, the home game for Wells on the Bank Holiday Monday produced great excitement, controversy and a wild finish as the points were shared in an incomplete match whose latter stages had been ruined by the local storm systems.

   Mark Smith put St.Lawrence in to bat upon winning the toss, and, after a high-point of 115-2 as Dominic Chambers starred with a cultured 40, the innings collapsed to 126-8 as Smith helped himself to 6-24 assisted by Ollie Priestman with 2-42. The 10-over resistance of the last two wickets used up valuable time that was to prove vital in the closing stages, but again the excellence of the Wells groundwork and catching gave the home effort the edge as the innings was completed at 166 with an over to spare.

   After tea, the weather began to close in, and much of the reply was made in Stygian gloom as the thunderstorms passed close by. Brothers Will and Sam Stickler gradually put up an increasingly confident and courageous opening stand before the sides were brought off in dangerous light at 45-0 for an hour, and again at 18.03 after the score had been taken on to 60-0. By now, rain was dampening the outfield, and a restart looked impossible, yet, in scenes remininscent of The Oval in 1968, the ground was mopped and dried by team and spectators alike, the skies cleared, and play was begun again at 19.45 with 12 overs of the final 20 allowed in which TW had to make 107, or St.Lawrence take ten wickets. 

   The first three overs brought 27 runs, but the speedsters then returned, and, aided by some desperate dismissals, the brakes were gradually applied. The brothers' opening stand was finally broken at 91, both Sam and Will Stickler having made 42 with 5 fours each, but Mark Alexander, with a runner, crashed some trademark cover drives, while the visiting attack snapped up wickets at vital moments. Falling behind the asking rate, Wells finally shut down to save the game, and an extraordinary contest came to an end with 29 runs still needed for the home win, and St.Lawrence still requiring four wickets. The match concluded at 20.45 pm.

   Useful practice was taken by both sides for the upcoming win/lose KL format, while the points gained by TW placed them at the head of the Premier table for the first time in many years, albeit having played a game more than their nearest rivals. The coming weekend sees the XI travel to Blackheath with the hope that their present momentum can be maintained.

   Beckenham visited The Nevill on a perfect day for the Summer game, and won the toss, but, with a depleted XI, elected to bowl first.

   Initially, the move paid off as Ross Willet removed the openers as the score reached 39, while Ollie Howick took care of Geoff Paulsen and Mark Smith after 23 overs. Ollie Priestman had enjoyed the occasionally wayward attack, and profited from an aggressive approach as he moved along to a second successive League half-century from 49 balls with 10 fours. Jack Richardson gave support as 60 runs came for the fifth wicket, with Priestman departing for a delightful 79 (13 fours) at 176 from 35 overs. The late order again made substantial and rapid progress as the Wells young cadre posted another 83 runs, the innings reaching an all-out 259 with two balls remaining in the allocation. This was the third consecutive major total posted by TW, a start to the campaign that has seldom been achieved in the recent past, and which testified to a confident spirit within the team. This was further exemplified in a splendid achievement later in the field, with grand catches and run-outs taken with a refreshing zeal.

   The chase depended heavily upon skipper Chris Isles, but a smart run-out removed him at 28, and the innings never looked coherent as wickets regularly fell to the excellent bowling and out-cricket of the home side. Mark Smith (3-21) and Priestman (3-43) took the main honours, but excellent groundwork also saw notable input from Sam Stickler and Richard Cutts. Ollie Waite (20) stayed for almost an hour as a show of resistance was offered, but 71-4 soon became 119 all out, with only the last pair remaining for any time as the victory came by a margin of 140 runs. Clearly the loss of Alex Blake and James Goodman was keenly felt by an under-performing Beckenham side, but the reversal of the 2008 result was a welcome achievement for Wells, who took bat-first points for a second consecutive week, hoisting the XI to third place in the table behind Bromley and Hartley.

   Ollie Priestman's second tremendous all-round performance of the campaign went a considerable way towards the home win, and the XI gave overall a heartening display that was crowned with the large margin of victory.

   Wells showed that they had learned fast from their opening encounter, but, having journeyed to Gore Court, they lost the toss and were put in, the home side opting to chase the target set.

   Matters could not have started better for Gore Court, both openers being removed without scoring, one to the very first ball of the match. Geoff Paulsen now played an innings of immense maturity and skill, but two more wickets were snapped up as the score reached 48, and much was left to be done. At this point, Ollie Priestman joined Paulsen, and these two turned the match, as they batted through 32 overs to add a combative, consolidating 130 runs providing respectability, and effecting a very fine recovery. Each relished the batting conditions at The Grove, Paulsen driving fiercely and being especially quick on anything loose, while Priestman rotated the strike or bagged boundaries in support. Each passed his half-century as the partnership blossomed, but eventually Priestman was removed at 178, and only nine overs remained for the acceleration. Richard Cutts now partnered Paulsen as a run-blitz saw Wells put on 72 runs in 45 balls, 20 runs coming alone from the 53rd over, and the target total achieved went beyond the effort of the previous week, with Paulsen moving strongly to three figures in this stand, on only his second KL outing. No praise could be too high for his majestic 124 (13 fours and 1 six) scored from 158 balls, while Cutts notched a quickfire 32 with 4 fours, and the late crescendo of runs took the score to 256 as the overs ran out. 

   Gore Court started well enough, posting 50 before a breakthrough was achieved, but skipper Mark Smith removed the first three in the list, and the chase was in disarray at 74-5. Christian Marsh, emulating Priestman's effort at number six, battled through for a sterling undefeated 64, but he received scant support as Priestman underlined his all-round potential while grabbing 5-35 in his fifteen overs. Smith (5-27) returned to snap up the last two wickets as the innings slipped to 163 all out, and Wells hauled in the full 20 points for a bat-first win and a move up the table to fourth position. Alamgir Sheriyar added to his three wickets in a dogged late stand with Marsh, but again Priestman stepped up to remove this last threat, and the win arrived with some nine overs in hand.

   The XI face the coming weekend with two League encounters, the County Week having displaced a fixture to the Bank Holiday Monday, but the omens are bright as the side runs into form, and the two home games promise to be of great interest as TW entertain first Beckenham and then St.Lawrence.

   The refreshed Nevill square provided a run-laden game, and Wells took first knock after the 2008 Champions had won the toss.

   Conditions favoured the batsmen apart from a few early passes, and a comfortable opening partnership of 77 was put together by Mark Alexander and Will Stickler, the former becoming Andy Tutt's sole success in fifteen straight overs. Stickler played with growing confidence, while executing many fine drives on his way to a worthy maiden Premier League fifty, which was reached in partnership with Overseas debutant Geoff Paulsen during a second stand of 72. Skipper Min Patel felt like a bowl, and snared Paulsen at 149, but Stickler continued to prosper, now with Mark Smith, finally perishing in the deep as the acceleration was started. With eight overs to go, Smith launched a brutal assault upon the visiting attack, with six fours and a six, to bring up his fourth consecutive half-century of 2009 in just 37 balls, receiving excellent support from Ollie Priestman as 63 runs were savaged in the final forty-eight balls. The fourth batting point was left some way behind as Wells posted their best home score for two years, leaving Hartley to make 244 for victory, yet the unused batting was a possible luxury unaffordable after so sound a start. Hartley's attack certainly evaluated the conditions well until the late onslaught.

   The reply was marked by uncertain play mingled with crisp boundaries, a pattern that was to be maintained, but the half-chances eluded Wells to the end. Chris Lawrence broke through at 52, although Patel now joined Patrick Underwood to post 167 for the second partnership, and effectively seize the game. Edges and clean-hitting continued in almost equal measure, but after passing a rapid half-century, Patel settled into pedigree mode, with outstanding backing from the patient Underwood. Both were surprisingly removed in the nineties as Wells notched a solitary bowling point - just the third of the match - but the tempo of the chase was always finely mastered, with the result that the run-in was accomplished with more than half of the wickets intact in no indecent haste. Some outstanding groundwork from the Wells youngsters was notable throughout, and suitably commented upon from the pickets, but there was no late rescue as Wells were overhauled, with seven wickets in hand, by a rather formidable side.

   Many good signs emerged for Wells, not least the condition of The Nevill wicket, this match having produced the best part of five hundred runs - comfortably the highest in the League on the day - and a marker was laid down for the rest of the campaign.

   A 90-Over game was played out in glorious sunshine on the renovated Nevill square, with the home side winning the toss and electing to bat.

   A battle of the veterans went Orpington's way at the outset, and, some excellent catching saw Wells slip to 69-3 after 23 testing overs. Strokeplay was on show from this point, as Aussie Geoff Paulsen found the conditions to his liking, crashing four fours in his first 18 runs, assisted initially by Ollie Priestman, who was three-card-tricked at 109. A glorious partnership now developed as the visiting attack flagged, and 94 sumptuous runs were gathered in 14 overs as young James Madgwick joined Paulsen. Madgwick turned much promise to fulfilment as he galloped in chase of Paulsen's steadily rising score, striking many powerful drives in the 'V' on his way to a debut half-century, which included five fours. Paulsen eased first to his maiden UK fifty (8 fours) before advancing beyond a sly straight one to depart for 54, and the remaining over saw Madgwick reach his landmark while teasing the opposition skipper on the fence.

   The reply immediately ran into trouble at 4-2 before a cultured revival was engineered by the stylish Paul Sheddon and young Dylan Robertson, who posted 94 for the third wicket and gave their side both respectability and purpose. Chris Lawrence now added to his early wicket with two further strikes, while debutant Chris Courtney put in a strong performance as he snapped up 4-21. Although Orpington took the innings almost to the final over, no other batsman showed sufficient permanence, Lawrence emerging with figures of 4-20, and the end came after 43.1 overs with a margin to Wells of 40 runs. Sheddon completed a notable 50 with seven fours, while Robertson almost emulated him with 48 (6 fours), but only David Robinson and Neil Bradford later made real progress, aided by some swashbuckling boundaries from Steve Ingram. 

   A comfortable win in the end gave the newly-topped square a happy outing for TWCC, whose batsmen all enjoyed some measure of success as the 45 overs brought up over 200 runs at a gradually increasing rate. Overseas player Geoff Paulsen enjoyed his first UK innings, with a classy 23, but honours went to the skipper, Mark Smith, showing ominous early-season form as he struck a fiercely vital undefeated 61 runs.

   The attack enjoyed steady success despite ex-TW player James Beeny, whose 59 was the chief resistance, seeing the reply to 82-2 before the innings rather fell away. Smith snapped up 4-22, Paulsen 2-20, and the win came at length with fifteen balls to spare.