By Mark Bristow

The Mote have been dealt a blow by the departure of captain Matt White to fierce Kent League first division rivals Linden Park.

White, 30, had spent all of his adult playing career with the club and skippered them to sixth and fifth position respectively in the Kent League’s second tier during his two seasons at the helm.

The all-rounder’s exit not only deprives the club of their skipper but also a top-order batsman and opening bowler.

Joining him at Linden will be younger brother Jason, 28, who led The Mote’s second team to a third-place finish in their division last season.

“It’s been one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make in my life, not just cricket,” White explained.

“I will always love The Mote and I’m so grateful for the opportunities they have given me.

“It’s been a tough time for cricket and beyond with Covid and everything else and I just felt that a change was needed to freshen up my cricket. I’ve always enjoyed playing at Linden, they are a progressive club with bags of ambition and a terrific social side, which is important at our level of cricket. It’s an opportunity for Jason and myself and we’re looking forward to it.

“I think I can look back on my time with The Mote with satisfaction and I leave with the first team in a better position than when I took on the captaincy.

“I’ve given them everything I can, my shoulder bears testimony to that and it’s rare these days for any player to stay at any one club for their entire career. You need a change from time to time.”

White amassed just over 10,000 league runs for The Mote at an average of just under 40, including 753 last season when ironically his concluding knock was an unbeaten 94 to clinch victory away to Linden on the final day of the season. He also claimed 261 league wickets for the club.

It will not be long before he becomes reacquainted with his former team-mates with Linden due to visit The Mote on week four of the 2023 season.

White’s fellow top-order batsman Phil Apps is the committee nomination for new first-team skipper, a move that is likely to be ratified when The Mote hold their annual meeting in early March.

In the meantime head of cricket James Hodgson is embarking on the search for an overseas player after 21-year-old Sri Lankan Vijayakanth Vijaskanth, whom they had hoped to welcome for the new season after he claimed 45 wickets for the second team last year, advised them he would not now be returning.

The leg spinner is playing for Chattogram Challengers in the ninth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League and the Sri Lankan board have other plans for a player who is highly regarded in his home country.