ON a tremendous batting strip at Goatley Park, Kingsnorth, the Tommy Dearman Trophy was lifted by Whitstable with a six-wicket win over their old rivals from Broadstairs.

Having been inserted Broadstairs got off to a nightmare start with openers Ben Futter and Steve King both removed by brilliant catches by Stuart Sinclair and James Cousens.

But then veteran Terry Bond and Indian ace Fakir Dungaria put together a terrific partnership of 172. Bond hit two sixes and four fours in his knock of 67, while the unlucky Fakir fell one short of a deserved century which featured 14 delicious boundaries.

Neil Breman maintained the momentum with a quickfire 31 and wickets tumbled freely in the late chase for runs, with Kiwi Colin Rampling (two for 28) the pick of the Whitstable attack.

Chasing a target of 241 for victory, Stuart Sinclair (14) and Joe Denly (17) got off to a steady start, both falling to Aussie paceman Gary Richardson. But after his fellow countryman Justin Poole hit a breezy 39, the Oystermen gained the upper hand through the classy James Cousens and skipper Nicky Denly who batted superbly to move ever closer to the target. Cousens remaining unbeaten on 76 to win the man of the match award, while veteran Denly added an unbeaten 60 to his ever-increasing tally of runs for deserved winners Whitstable.