Sandwich Town skipper Tom Chapman expects plenty more twists and turns throughout rest of Kent Cricket League Premier Division season despite back-to-back wins; Blackheath away next up for fifth-placed side

Captain Tom Chapman thinks there will still be plenty more twists and turns throughout the rest of Sandwich Town’s season - despite back-to-back wins.

Town are now fifth in the Kent League Premier Division after last weekend’s victory against defending champions Lordswood, having seen off Bexley seven days earlier.

“It’s been a crazy season,” said Chapman. “Minster are running away with it at the moment.

“But, with everyone in the middle and bottom part of the table, there’s not much between one another. We’ve just jumped to fifth.

“That table will keep ebbing and flowing, I’m sure, for the rest of the season.

“Hopefully, we can just keep picking up results.”

Sandwich, who suffered a 23-run opening-day loss at Lordswood, avenged that defeat when they secured a 20-run victory at The Butts ground.

Chapman reflected: “It was a cracking performance all round.

“Obviously, it was a tight game but one where we have come out on the right side of the result. It ebbed and flowed throughout both innings.

“We were in trouble at 63-5 but Zack (Fagg) and Kit (Keey) put on a very good partnership. Then, the bowling innings ebbed and flowed, as well.

“But I thought we bowled well overall, so we’re very happy.”

Fagg’s 88, supported by Keey (35), shared a 112-run stand during Sandwich’s 224 all out.

In reply, Sri Lankan overseas spinner Roshan Jayatissa and opening bowler Alex Smith returned 3-26 and 3-37, respectively.

“We know what Zack is capable of and he has done it a lot already this summer,” noted Chapman.

“But Kit - two weeks in a row - has played a key role, coming in at No.7. This weekend, his 30-odd was crucial in terms of getting us to around 200. At The Butts, that’s a decent score.

“With the result we got in the end, that proved a massive partnership.

“Alex is a crucial bowler at the top of the innings and with his death overs. Roshan bowled nicely and limited their runs, as well.

“It was a good performance all round.”

The game was Sandwich’s first within a pink-ball experiment for the second-half of the league season, with teams also playing in coloured clothing.

Chapman said: “It was good.

“Obviously, we have done a bit before - but not over 50 overs. The ball didn’t change drastically in either innings, which was good.

“It was nice playing in coloured clothing, which was a bit different.

“We’re looking forward to the next eight games of it.”

While Town have leapt up the table, they are still only 11 points clear of the relegation zone ahead of their weekend journey to Blackheath.

“We will take the confidence from the last two weeks into Saturday,” stated Chapman.

“Blackheath is always quite a tricky place to go. They’re sitting seventh in the table - we jumped over them last Saturday.

“If we can pick up another win this Saturday, that could be quite crucial, come the end of the season.”

Sandwich Town 2nds were consigned to a 51-run Division 4 defeat at frontrunners Dartford 2nds.

Opening bowler Jared Southgate took 3-40, as Dartford totalled 272-7, before Town fell short despite Southgate’s 76.