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Still hope of Mote return for Kent
By Dennis Fowle
TALK among cricket spectators at The Mote during a Kent 2nd XI three-day runs feast against Essex 2nds was: “When will first-class cricket return to Maidstone?” The popular, well-maintained ground looked at its very best in the summer sun and cars lined the south bank of the natural arena for the treasured view of the game with the tree-lined North Downs as the backdrop. The wicket, cause of a controver-
sial ECB points deduction for Kent when the last first-class fixturewas played in 2005, now favoured bats- men.
Kent scored 400-7 declared and
285 against Essex’s 342 and 249 to win by 94 runs in growing tension with six overs remaining. Maidstone sports followers and members of Kent County Cricket Club keep asking when the first- class game will return and the an- nual Maidstone cricket festival will again be the social and sporting highlight of Maidstone’s summer. Kent County Cricket Club say
theywant to return to highly-pop- ulated mid-Kent, but must ensure the ground and facilities meet modern high standards. The major problem now is that
the 100-year-old pavilion, built and gifted by the 1st Lord Bearsted, is
antiquated and has health and safety and youth protection issues. The Mote Cricket Club have ap-
proved a development proposal for its demolition and a rebuild to create a high-quality centre of “sporting and community excel- lence”, including adequate parking and an improved forecourt and road structure. This is dependent financially on
an enabling residential develop- ment mostly on the upper pitch used by tenants Maidstone Rugby Club whose lease/licence expires in May next year. The cricket club have been liaising with Maidstone Council for the past four years.
River festival ‘could have council support’
MAIDSTONE Council’s new ad- ministration could agree to back a new-style river festival if it has suf- ficient public support. The council has said it wants to
make greater use of the river as an attraction and Cllr David Naghi wants the council’s heritage, cul- ture and leisure committee to sup- port the festival. In the meantime, the boating community is gearing up for an- other fun-filled festival afloat. Social media is once again buzzing with news of an unofficial “boat gathering”, due to take place on July 25. Mark Smurthwaite, from the
River Medway Boaters, said: “The river festival is about the boating community and has only ever been successful because of them.We do not need fun fairs, stalls and bands – it’s all about the boats. “We plan to get as many boats in Maidstone again this year as is possible and will show everyone that the boating community is alive and very much kicking.”
At its peak, the river festival
pulled in up to 10,000 visitors, but the economic climate, together with health and safety issues, mean costs have been rising and administration is more complex. Last year the boat owners pro-
moted a gathering which pulled in more than 100 boats from through- out Britain. The previous administration ve-
toed a request for support this year as the gathering coincides with the Ramblin’ Man Fair and the council claimed there would not be suffi- cient resources to cope with secu- rity and litter clearing for both. The costs of patrolling by the po-
lice and Environment Agencywere another factor which influenced its decision – yet both still attended the unofficial gathering last year. Cllr Naghi said: “I would like to
see the river festival re-launched as a family attraction. It will never re- turn in its old form without council support, as it is all on public land and the organisers will be liable if anything goes wrong.”
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The club’s view
JAMIE Clifford, chief executive of Kent County Cricket Club, told the Downs Mail: “Kent Cricket re- mains committed to taking cricket around the county. “The Mote CC is of course a tra- ditional home of Kent fixtures and it remains the hope that the club will see a return of first-team cricket to the venue in the future. “There is much work required
before that point can be reached, but we will continue to support The Mote CC in the aspirations they have for the development of the ground.”
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