Minster were on the wrong end of a superb individual batting performance by Chestfield’s Craig Wretham as they slid to a 61-run defeat in Shepherd Neame Kent League Division 3 on Saturday.

The opener carried his side virtually single-handed to their total of 250-7 with a knock of 135, and then for good measure took a brilliant one-handed catch on the boundary to dismiss Minster captain James White (pictured right) when Minster replied.

“Craig had the game of his life,” White said, “he batted really well and made us pay for dropping him a couple of times.

“It wasn’t the easiest of wickets to bat on, and I was disappointed with our bowling and fielding. Our bowlers didn’t bowl a tight line and we dropped too many catches again.

“Then, before we batted, I said to the guys that we needed to bat solidly early on so that the later batsmen could come in and have a swing, but instead we lost four early wickets for not very many and were always under pressure after that.”

One piece of good news for White was that Brad Mitchell, Minster’s Australian overseas player, scored his first half century of the season and managed to steady the ship in a fifth-wicket stand with Joe O’Donaghue (18). Andy Hosken (30) and White (31) then continued to try to repair the earlier damage, but they had been left with too much to do and Minster were eventually dismissed for 189.

It was third-placed Minster’s second defeat in a row after three straight wins, and in the next two weeks they meet second-placed High Halstow and leaders Upchurch, with White admitting: “It could be make or break for us in the next two games.”