THE Shepherd Neame Kent Village League's thirtieth cricket season gets underway on Sunday with a full compliment of 72 teams playing in six divisions. The League has come along way since it started in 1973 with just 17 clubs in two divisions. Thirteen of the founder members are still competing.

These include Egerton who have spent 22 seasons in Division 1; Great Chart, who have never played in the top division, and Boughton Monchelsea, who won the Division 1 title three times in the first four years but now play in Division 3.

Last year's champions Upchurch have a difficult looking start to this season's Division 1 campaign when they visit newly promoted Bossingham, who with the other promoted club, Bapchild, are expected to do well in the top flight.

Many of the clubs promoted last year look likely to be challenging for honours again with Brookland, now in Division 2 fancied to continue their climb through the divisions, and perhaps Great Chart may at long last make it to the top.

Minster should make it four promotions in a row by winning Division 3 with newly promoted Brook, and Dymchurch, who just missed out last time, also in contention.

Divison 4 looks to be the most open division with no clear favourites for promotion but Division 5 is likely to be dominated by the four clubs up from Division 6 Mersham Le Hatch, Headcorn, Littlebourne 2nd, and Addington Village.

There are four newly elected clubs in Division 6 in Chilham, Hawkinge, Hollingbourne, and New Ash Green, and all are expected to be in the running for a first time promotion.

Fixtures

Division 1: Ash v Hempstead, Bossingham v Upchurch, Challock v Bapchild, Chislet v Egerton, Stockbury v Littlebourne, Woodchurch v Worth,

Division 2: Bredgar v Loose, Brookland v Holborough V, Harbledown v Yalding, Higham v Borden, Leybourne v Great Chart, Lower Hasltow v Bethersden.

Division 3: B Monchelsea v Sharsted, Biddenden v Beltinge, Brook v Bilsington, Dymchurch v Saltwood, Minster v E Malling, Stone v Teston.

Division 4: Aldington v Blue House, Eastvurch v Woodchurch II, Little Chart v Harrietsham, Rodmersham v Wootton, Rumwood v Rolvenden, Wingham v Norton.

Division 5: Addington v Benenden, Great Chart II v Southfleet, Hunton v Harbledown II, Kingsnorth v Headcorn, Littlebourne II v Detling, Pluckley v Mersham le Hatch.

Division 6: Chilham v Exiles, Hawkinge v Staplehurst, Hempstead II v Leybourne II, Holborough II v Hollingbourne, Selling v Lower Halstow II, Smarden v New Ash Green.