Dominic Chambers looks for runs against Hartley on Saturday

BEN EASTER took a five-wicket haul for St Lawrence & Highland Court on Saturday, but it proved in vain as the Saints lost at home to Premier Division champions Hartley Country Club.

The visitors batted first and despite Easter’s 5-39 they reached 201-9 from 55 overs.

The Saints reply saw them fall to 173 all-out with 27 balls remaining as they went down by 28 runs.

Saints were also in league action on Bank Holiday Monday when they were involved in a rain-hit game with Premier Division leaders Tunbridge Wells.

A half century opening stand between Dominic Chambers (40) and Sean French (29) gave the Saints a solid start, and skipper Lewis Jenkins contributed a useful 32.

Jenkins was one of Mark Smith’s victims as St Lawrence slid from 115-2 to 166 all out, Smith finishing with the superb figures of 6-24 from 15 overs.

The Stickler brothers, Will and Sam, both scored 42 in putting on 91 for the first wicket when Tunbridge Wells replied, but they too then ran into trouble against Richard Keir (3-36) and Wells still needed 29 more runs to win, with four wickets in hand, when rain forced a halt.

Damian Minter’s superb figures of 7-38 helped Canterbury to victory at Division 1 new-boys Hythe on Saturday The home side won the toss and batted, but only Leon Morgan (62) got into double figures as Minter ran riot.

Once Leon Morgan (62) was ousted by Minter, Canterbury made short work of polishing off the tail dismissing the home side seasiders for only 107 in 32 overs.

Canterbury made short work of their target, taking just 23 overs to rattle-off the required runs for the loss of just four wickets.

Openers Donald Carter made 32 and Simon Cusden an unbeaten 22.

For more Kent League cricket see this week's Kentish Gazette