Skipper Jan Gray was thrilled with Sandwich Town’s performance in their Kent League Premier Division victory at Blackheath on Saturday.

Gray was in fine form himself, claiming 7-39 to limit the home side to 217 all out.

A 109-ball Ben Chapman 113 then led the way while Rory Smith (77 not out) also ensured Sandwich got over the line with seven wickets in hand after a 182-run stand between the pair.

“Since I joined, I don’t think I can remember a better team performance,” enthused Sandwich’s captain.

“We have so many talented players. There’s always a chance one can win us the game, but everyone was just brilliant.

“It was so humid and a flat pitch. To keep them to 217 was quite incredible on a 260 or 270 pitch.

“I’m not a big one for statistics, really either, but Rory and Ben’s partnership was the biggest of the year in the Kent League Premier Division.”

Chapman and Smith - both semi-professional footballers - came together at 24-1 but almost single-handedly won Sandwich the match from there.

Gray said: “It was brilliant. Ben went at over a-run-a-ball and Rory did more of an anchor role.

“It was very nice to watch, they were in complete control.

“Rory also got his first hundred the previous Sunday in the National Club Championship [in a defeat to Hayes]. Then Ben got his hundred.

“It felt like a real reward for both of them.

“They have played well all year without the statistics necessarily showing it, so it was so good to see.”

Gray was modest about his own display with the ball, six of his seven scalps coming as the home side tried to push on in the latter stages of their innings.

“It was a bit weird really,” he said. “We did a brilliant job between overs 15 and 40.

“Even though we didn’t get loads of wickets, they didn’t get away from us, so they probably needed eight-an-over to get a nice score.

“They didn’t have a choice but to keep going at it.”

There’s a double-header this weekend, which starts with a home match for sixth-placed Sandwich against Bexley, who are third, and chased down almost 300 to beat frontrunners Tunbridge Wells last time out.

Gray said: “We get on with their team well. But also, we have a good, competitive, rivalry with them.

“They chased down 300 so they will be feeling good on the back of that and we’ve had a couple of good weeks.

“Hopefully, it’ll be a really good game.”

Sandwich then face Waltham in The Conference Cup for the Bertie Joel Trophy 2023.

Gray revealed: “From what I understand, they don’t play on Saturdays! I don’t know for sure but that’s what I’m led to understand.

“But they were able to put a few sides out to get through a couple of rounds.”

Sandwich top group five of the KCL Twenty 20 Cup after they beat Folkestone by seven wickets and Whitstable by eight wickets on Sunday.

The 2nds beat Chestfield 1sts by five wickets in Division 3.

Chris Smith (2-10), Jake Smith (2-26) and Cody Nieuwoudt (2-35) restricted the visitors to 185 all out before Benji Niewoudt’s 53 helped ensure they got over the line in 42 overs.