Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Stunning title success
Skipper Will Hilton claimed it felt surreal to finish a rollercoaster Shepherd Neame Kent League season with St Lawrence & Highland Court as champions.
A convincing final-day win at Chestfield ensured Hilton’s side were promoted to Division 1 while a surprise defeat for leaders Folkestone at Broadstairs saw the Bridge side finish top by five points – an unlikely prospect when they had slumped to mid-table in late July.
Hilton said: “It has been a rollercoaster ride this year. We had a team meeting with seven games to go when we said we needed to win every single game to go up.
“As it is, we managed to lose one, win four and had two abandoned but we have picked up points against some of the top sides. We have had to do it the hard way but we have done it.
He added: “We have stumbled late on in previous seasons and I asked the players to give more than they perhaps ordinarily would – to show how seriously they were taking cricket in terms of attending training, turning up on time and just going the extra mile.
“They bought into it and here we are – champions.”
Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens hit 98 before being caught at backward point trying to move into three figures, while James Widerstrom passed 60, Jack Balsdon hit 40 and Hilton himself added 31 as St Lawrence & Highland Court won the toss and posted 276-7.
Overseas all-rounder Graeme Tryon claimed four wickets to finish the season with 38 and more than 600 runs, while Joe Payne and Widerstrom took two each to see the latter surpass 40 wickets for the campaign.
The hosts were dismissed for just 175 with nearly 12 overs to spare to start the celebrations among the visitors and their supporters after a 101-run success. Hilton said: “We knew we only had to win to get promoted, so we came off the field already in high spirits.
“That was a good feeling but then my dad handed me a magnum of Champagne and said ‘congratulations you’re champions’. It was all a bit surreal. The result of the ” Folkestone game was already on the website by that stage. We went back to the club to drink our fines from the season and then had a night out to celebrate in Canterbury.”
He added: “We see ourselves as a Division 1 club and it will be good to renew some old rivalries next season against teams like Canterbury and Hartley and Bromley who we had some good battles with in the Premier Division.
“The signs are good as the 2nds are also champions – which is the first time I think it has happened.”