Becks sink in the Mote

3:04pm Wednesday 1st August 2001

On the hottest day of the year, Beckenham lost the toss against The Mote and were condemned to a long, arduous day in the field as the visitors piled up a massive 309-5 from 78 overs on day one of their Forester Premier League game at Foxgrove Road.

To add to the home side's woe, a spate of catchable chances went begging followed by the all-too-familiar procession of batsmen as Beckenham then slumped to 54-4.

The Mote's young openers, Matt Bennett and Tom Harvey, started with great assurance on a flat pitch.

Harvey was badly missed at mid-wicket when 16 and the 50 partnership came up in good time with both players playing splendid attacking shots, allied to some magnificent running between the wickets.

Becks' skipper John Heywood rang the bowling changes but to no avail as first Bennett, and then Harvey cruised to excellent half centuries.

The carnage continued as Beckenham heads began to drop as the ball sped over the quick outfield.

Bennett marched imperiously to a magnificent century containing 13 fours and a six and the opening stand was worth a massive 224 before Maqsood Ahmed finally bowled him for 109, who then claimed Terry Howes cheaply to bring some welcome relief to the home side.

Harvey, meanwhile, was becalmed in the “nervous 90s” but he, too, eventually reached a superb hundred with 11 fours before Heywood induced a tired-looking shot to give Tim Ufton a simple catch when on 104.

Simon Evans produced a useful spell of seam bowling, but Mote skipper James Hodgson smashed a quick 38 and the Barr brothers chipped in too before Mote declared on 309-5.

Beckenham were soon in trouble against the searing pace of George. Jamie Rowe was brilliantly held at slip and Tim Ufton, having batted pleasantly, had his stumps shattered for 14.

James Evans was standing firm and Ahmed hit a couple of cracking boundaries before aiming a loose shot against the left-armer Dakin.

Then, to cap a miserable day for Beckenham, Evans was stupidly run out for 22 in the last over of the day to leave them struggling on 54-4.