Blake pens new deal
Cricket
Kent batsman Alex Blake has signed a new two-year deal with the county. The 28-year-old academy graduate made his debut in a one-day match against Surrey at Canterbury in 2007 and last year received his county cap. He said: “I’m delighted to extend my contract at Kent. “As a local lad, I love representing my home county having been part of the set-up here since I was nine. “I feel I’ve got a lot to offer the team across all three formats of the game – next summer can’t come soon enough and I can’t wait to be a part of a team trying to push for domestic honours. “I look forward to joining back up with the squad to start our preparation for next season.” For the first time in its history, Tudor Park Marriott Hotel & Country Club in Bearsted have a junior golf team ready to compete in matches at the start of next season. Friday was the first time the club had held a junior awards event and the evening was a celebration of young golfing talent. The junior club championship trophy was won by 14-year-old Bailey Korkis, a pupil at The Harvey Grammar School in Folkestone and a special trophy was presented to Ellena Slater, a pupil at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls, who won the adult ladies’ club championship at the age of just 13. The formation of a junior team has been possible due to the huge leap forward in the number of young players coming to Tudor Park, which has seen junior membership increase by 20% in the last year. “We have made junior golf a key focus over the past 18 months,