A weekend to remember: Three is the magic number for Kent

The first team might have lost earlier today but there were still three reasons to celebrate for Kent supporters this weekend. The drawn LV County Championship match between Glamorgan and Essex handed Kent promotion back into Division One. There were also wins for Kent Women and the Kent under-17“s in their respective matches.

The women beat arch rivals Sussex by seven wickets with batsman Lydia Greenway finishing unbeaten on 90. They take the title with a 100% undefeated record in 2010.

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Meanwhile, the under-17“s (pictured) beat Durham by six wickets in the ECB County Cup Final to record a league and cup double. Durham scored 215 in their innings. At one point, they appeared to be on course for an even more sizeable total before Fabian Cowdrey got to work with the ball. The left-arm spin bowler returned figures of 5-21, from his six overs, to put the squeeze on Durham at Caythorpe CC in Nottinghamshire.

Opener Chris Vernon and all-rounder Adam Ball then starred with the bat as Kent recorded another victory. Ball hit 78 while the left-handed Vernon scored 68 to see the youngsters through to victory.

Coach Steve Salisbury was delighted with the all-round team display: “This is a marvellous achievement from the players. They are a great side; they haven“t just won these games this season; they have won them by a heavy margin. We naturally want them to have a professional urge and we want them to have pride in their performance. They have done that and continue to impress. This is a first. Nobody has ever recorded the league and cup double before, in the same season, so this is quite an achievement. I“m delighted for everyone involved.”

And what has pleased Salisbury most about the form shown this season? “There have been numerous positives. The style in which the boys played has probably been the most pleasing aspect. The lads only lost one game, right throughout the summer, and a number of them have played for the second team. We are very proud and Kent has a bright future with the displays being shown by so many promising youngsters.”