Parkes brought up his century with a single off West Indies paceman Keon Harding — a textbook forward defensive stroke, running the ball behind point.
It was a 360-degree innings during which Parkes peppered all points on the compass off both front foot and back, playing sweep shots, reverse sweep shots, pull shots, lofted drives, cuts and leg glances.
Parkes fell to a catch by Harding at long-on off Harding’s new-ball partner, Frankie Cripps with the score at 321-4.
Three Bridges’ 371-5 was their highest-ever team total in the league. Cripps took 3-111 from 10 overs, Harding none for 77 from 10.
Three Bridges rebounded in style from a 130-run loss to Bexley at their Manor’s Way ground the previous Saturday. Parkes made a run-a-ball seven as first drop in the first dig.
Aside from the eight-wicket hammering of Gravesend at the Bat and Ball Ground in the National Club Championship 40-over competition (Parkes hit a six and was 13 not out off 10 balls as first drop) on May 1, this was only his third turn at bat for the Crawley-based Three Bridges.
The spearhead of Mayfield’s bowling attack on Saturday was Harding, who made his one-day international debut for the West Indies against Bangladesh two years ago.
Three Bridges took 30 points for the win. They have 50 points in total and are placed fifth of 10 teams in the Sussex Premier League. They finished sixth last year, fourth in 2021 and last won a league title — Division 2, as opposed to premier league — in 2018. Their first premier league season was 2019. Their highest placing has been third, for the division and limited-overs cricket in the division, in 2019.
“It was a good wicket for both sides, with a bit in it for the bowlers,” Parkes said.
“Mayfield had decent spinners but I managed to hit a couple of big bombs. I’m pretty happy to have scored a ton this early in the English summer.”
