Kent’s First Walking Cricket Match Against Surrey’s Walking Cricket Groups
Thursday 21st September 2023
Kent Cricket Community Trust had the opportunity to take a Kent walking cricket team to play a few friendly matches against Surrey’s walking cricket teams at Pirbright Cricket Club. The invite was extended by CCL Coaching who sponsor walking cricket in Surrey, to come and play a two matches. Both were fantastic hosts and looked after us throughout the day, with much needed ice lolly’s when needed to cool players down. Our Kent team were made up of a number of our walking cricket groups with the Folkestone and Canterbury groups having a good turn out for the event.
With walking cricket having just been established in the last year, while our team were not hopeful of a win against the Surrey teams that have been playing for 3 years, they were keen to attend. The event took place on one of the hottest weekends this year and while it was a very hot day and the traffic was also not on our side getting to the match. The Kent players worked hard in the 1st game and nearly chased down the 125 set by Surrey off their 16 overs and fell short by only 10 runs (115). Numbers and the heat impacted the 2nd game and Surrey hit 118 chasing our 60 from 16 overs each. For us walking cricket was the winner and our Kent players came away with a great sense of camaraderie, achievement and enjoyment.
Comments from the Kent walking cricket team:-
“The opportunity to play cricket against another team”
“Meeting new people with a similar interest and socialising with them”
“Brilliant day very hot. Very much enjoyed playing. A friendly days Cricket but competitive as well. Enjoyed batting against different bowlers”
Chair of the Kent Cricket Community Trust board stated ” Having attended this event, I have witnessed first-hand how walking cricket is transforming people’s lives, a number of whom have never played cricket before and look forward to the start of the Kent walking cricket league next year”
Please see the film of the day Walking Cricket Kent vs Surrey
Following this event, a number of the Canterbury walking cricketers are now playing in friendly matches arranged by the Folkestone team and look forward to seeing the development of local walking cricket matches. To find out more about walking cricket sessions in Kent please see Walking Cricket