Kent Cricket League: Season Round-Up
Tuesday 13th September 2022
A number of overseas cricketers spent the Summer playing for Kent League clubs, through all the divisions, with many of them producing top performances, and a handful invited by Kent Cricket to play as trialists in both Second XI Championship, and Second XI T20 matches.
It was another highly successful season for the Kent League, which comprises of 62 clubs, playing in 12 divisions, with a First XI and Second XI structure in place.
Leading the way of the overseas stars in the Premier Division was Sevenoaks Vine’s South African captain, Luke Schlemmer, who scored 937 runs in the season, including four successive centuries. The Vine finished in sixth position in the Premier Division, which was won by Hayes Cricket Club, whose team included Kent batter, Alex Blake, and former Kent Second XI all-rounder, Will MacVicar.
Another South African, Ed Moore, scored 731 runs for Minster (Sheppey), who finished as runners-up, whilst Bexley’s Aiden Griggs hit 705 runs.
The leading wicket takers in the Premier Division were Minster’s Joe Parry, and Blackheath’s, Arafat Bhuiyan, who has played this season for Kent Seconds, both with 38 wickets apiece.
In Division One the leading run scorer was Matthew Golding, with 976, but despite his efforts, his club side Old Wilsonians were relegated. The leading wicket takers in the division were dominated by overseas players, with fast bowler, Mickey Edwards taking 48 wickets, the Aussies haul helping his side St Lawrence and Highland Court, to promotion to the Premier Division. He also played for Kent Second Eleven during the season, and Kent players, Darren Stevens and Harry Podmore played for the Canterbury based division winners.
Indian bowler Gurveer Singh Saini took 38 wickets for Dartford, Australian leg spinner Lloyd Pope, who also played for Kent Seconds, had 33 victims for Canterbury, and South African, Ishmail September, another player with relegated Old Wilsonians 32 wickets, whilst Golding showed his abilities as an all-rounder, also with 32 victims, whilst Australian Jarred Lysaught, another with Kent Second XI experience, also on 32. Holmesdale were runners up in the division, and will be playing in the Premier next season.
Division Two was won by CUACO, with Whitstable runners-up. South African, Jason Van Dyk scoring 984 runs for Dover based club, Nonington, including an innings of 220, against Whitstable, which included 16 sixes and 19 boundaries. Whitstable’s Byron Gould scored 856 runs, and Chris Kidd of Broadstairs Cricket Club took 38 wickets.
The Kings Hill Club in West Malling were Division Three champions, with Gravesend runners-up. Bromley Town’s New Zealand batter, was the leading run scorer, just passing the thousand with 1002, grafting out his runs without scoring a century, top scoring with 94. Australian Nick Barlow scored 986 runs for Chelsfield, and Richard Nicol, of Kings Hill 970 runs. Gravesend’s Irfan Sahar had 43 wickets for his club.
Catford and Cyphers, were champions of Division Four, with Staplehurst also promoted. Catford’s Sachithra Serasinghe scored 962 runs, whilst his team colleague, Salman Faris took 41 wickets.
The Division Five champions were Chislehurst, with their bowler Vedant Thakur taking 35 wickets and their Australian batter, Jack Sanson scoring an impressive 1104 runs. Ben Allon, who played for second placed Folkestone based Sibton Park, hit 1070 runs.
In the Second Eleven Premier Division, Lordswood were champions, with Bexley in second place. Old Colfeians overseas player, Andra Henry hit 737 runs and John Bowdenj of Sevenoaks Vine 693. The champions bowler, Mirza Baig finished the season with 40 wickets.
There was double success for St Lawrence and Highland Court, with their second team champions of Division One, Beckenham were runners-up. Dartford’s David Walker scored 625 runs and CUACO’S Indian bowler, Ash Arora took 39 wickets, as did Charlie Surguy of Holmesdale.
The champions of Division Two were Whitstable, with Minster runners-up. Glen Aukett of The Mote was the leading batter with 776 runs, whilst CUACO’S Sri Lankan bowler, Viyaskanth Vijayakanth took 39 wickets, and Joe Clements of Whitstable 37.
Neil Gowers, of Division Three champions, Chestfield, was the top run getter with 719, and the club’s Brian Moody-Smith took 25 wickets. Runners-up were Leeds and Broomfield.
Winners, and champions of Division Four, were Kings Hill, with Nonington second. Australian batter, Liam Wolters, passed a thousand runs for the season, hitting 1091, playing for Tonbridge, with Nonington’s George Finch with 580 runs to his name. Kings Hill bowler, Jack Cook 34 wickets.
The Roebuck’s club, in Hayes, were champions of Division Five, with Rochester based club Borstal finishing second. Offham’s John Olufawo scored 895 runs, whilst Dave Crompton of Gore Court, took 27 wickets.
The Bert Roebuck award, for the best bowling analysis of any club, went to Tom Parsons of Leeds and Broomfield, who took 8 for 32 against Tenterden first eleven in Division Two. The leading wicket-keeper award went to Canterbury’s Jack Wheeler, with 38 victims, 25 of them caught, and 13 stumped.
By Peter Burrowes
The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence will once again host a full England Women’s One-Day International (WODI) match in 2022, with a Royal London WODI against India under the lights in Canterbury on Wednesday, 21 September.
