The Mote Cricket Club, Maidstone

By Andrew Gidley

Kent chief executive Jamie Clifford this week reaffirmed the county’s intentions to continue taking cricket around the county.

The 2012 fixture list was announced this week with Tunbridge Wells Festival Week staging all forms of cricket for the first time, but Maidstone - which last staged first-class cricket in 2005 - was again missing from the list.

Mr Clifford said: "We want to continue to take cricket around the county and are in dialogue (with The Mote)."

Officials at The Mote are continuing to work on plans to improve the facilities at the club, a key factor in Kent returning to the county town in the future.

Kent life-member Dennis Fowle, chairman of the four-man development committee at the Willow Way club, said: "We have been talking to Maidstone Council about improvements to the ground.

"They are ongoing and involve a new pavilion but it can only be funded by enabling an residential development."

The club are also continuing to renovate the historic Tabernacle building adjacent to the pavilion. Two grants of £10,000 from Kent County Council’s Capital Sports Funding and the Cobtree Charity Trustees have helped toward the cost of a new roof and improvements to exterior walls.

Mr Fowle added: "We are seeking further funding and will hopefully complete the work in the next two months. We want to create a centre for youth sport excellence, administration facilities for the club and changing facilities for officials."

The Nevill at Tunbridge Wells will stage a Championship match against Hampshire, Northamptonshire in the Clydesdale Bank 40 and the opening Friends Life t20 game against Sussex.