Sandwich Town are off the bottom of the Kent League Premier Division with a win their captain hopes can get their season up and running.

Town pulled off a big victory on Saturday - only their second of the season so far - as they beat Bickley Park by 140 runs at The Butts.

“It was a much-needed win,” said captain Tom Chapman. “We are off the bottom, which is good, and we hope to build on this going forward now.

“We know what we are capable of, it’s just that up to this point we haven’t really clicked.

“Most of the games we’ve played this season have been close, we just haven’t managed to get over the line. Saturday’s result was an all-round performance.”

Sandwich’s other win came against league leaders Minster, so there is no doubting there’s quality in the squad.

Zack Fagg, batting lower down at six, starred with a 75-ball 94 while Ryan Davies was bowled just two runs short of a half-century.

A total of 279-8 off 50 overs was beyond the visitors, who lasted 45.4 overs and were all out for 139.

“The batting really set a good foundation for us,” said the skipper.

“It is probably something we haven’t done enough of this season at all really, putting a nice, big total on the board and something to defend. We bowled them out for 139 and did both elements very well.

“They have got players in the team that are capable but that was a big total and it instantly puts pressure on the team batting second because they have got to keep up the rate from ball one.”

Park’s openers reached the first drinks break on 70 without loss but quickly crumbled once Ben Smith (3-39) had claimed the wicket of visiting skipper Elliot Hooper (40). 73-1 quickly became 76-3.

Chapman picked up 2-17 and Fagg returned 3-17, including Park’s final batter, to finish the job.

“It was a very good display with bat and ball,” said the captain.

“Zack’s changed his role slightly with him batting at six and it just gives us more of a deeper batting line-up. We know what Zack is capable of, it was a superb innings with the bat and then he picked up a few wickets with the ball as well.

“You always look at other team’s line-up and when you see someone like Zack in at six it lets the fielding team know that we can bat in depth.”

Slipping to the bottom of the table are Canterbury, and that’s where Sandwich head on Saturday.

Chapman said: “We know it is another big game, we have to try and back up a great result on Saturday with another win this coming Saturday.

“Hopefully we get a few boys back that have been out injured and hopefully we can get another win on the board.

“One win could see us leapfrog teams into mid-table. We will get to halfway and assess what we need to do in the second half of the season.”