University Challenge

Kent County Cricket Club will host an Inter-Universities match between Canterbury Christ Church University and the University of Kent, on Friday 13 May. The match will be the first under new, permanent floodlights at the St Lawrence Ground in Old Dover Road and entry is free.

The evening will consist of both a Women’s and Men’s match, played under a 15 over, eight ball format to ensure both games can be completed within the scheduled time. The Women’s game will start at 5.00pm and Men’s is programmed for 7.30pm.

Both teams feature seasoned young players from across the country and beyond, with players from Zimbabwe, India and Australia featuring in the Kent Men’s line-up. Players in both teams have experience in age group county cricket and have progressed to play Premier League cricket for their various club teams.

The Christ Church Men’s team features star player, Linden Lockhart, who has played second eleven cricket for Middlesex, Essex and Kent. Lockhart played three second eleven trophy matches in 2010, and boasts a score of 113 in the second eleven championship in 2009 for Middlesex against Gloucestershire. Captain James Alder will also be at the top of the order, and currently plays Premier League cricket for Ipswich Cricket Club.

The Kent team also has a strong line-up, including Mylo Wilkin who has played for Ealing Cricket Club in the Middlesex Premier League – a side which won the Premier League for six years in succession, before finally losing in the national knockouts last year. Other key players on the side include Jonathan Houghton, who has represented France in age group cricket and Daniel Landman who has represented Zimbabwe in all age groups and played in the Under 19 World Cup in Malaysia in 2008.

The two Women’s teams have met on two previous occasions, most recently at an indoor varsity match on 9 March. On that occasion, Christ Church batted first, leaving Kent chasing a team score of 89 off their 12 overs. Kent chased the total down with two balls to spare.

The two Men’s teams have not met outdoors in recent season, but played each other in an indoor varsity match back in March, with Kent batting first and scoring 144 of their 12 overs, leaving Christ Church needing 6 runs to win from the final over with 2 wickets remaining. This match was won by Kent by just 2 runs.

This looks set to be an evening of thrilling varsity cricket, with the two sides evenly matched. The fixture is being supported by local business with restaurant Nando’s associate sponsors of the evening and Shepherd Neame beer brand Oranjeboom sponsor of the Kent University teams.