By Mark Bristow

Linton Park are getting ready for Kent League cricket for the first time in their proud history – with their first and second teams featuring in the newly-expanded competition.

The club, twice winners of Lord’s finals in the national village knockout competition, have traditionally eschewed the Kent League but with a junior section now numbering 130 youngsters, the decision was made to take the plunge.

“With our junior section we have a lot of youngsters with ambitions to play at the highest level of cricket possible,” said Dave Castle, a former Linton opening batsman who heads up the club’s youth section.

“Changing leagues wasn’t an easy decision with one or two arguments for and against within the club. The Kent County League, which is the league we are coming out of, has served us well down the years and we competed well in their first division finishing on average third or fourth most seasons.

“But we felt that playing in the Kent League would hopefully help us to keep our best young talent rather than run the risk of losing them to other clubs. We could still lose them, of course, but it just gives us a better chance.

“And with so many tiers in the new Kent League, it also gives these youngsters a pathway to play their cricket at the highest level possible.”

The first-team head to Broadstairs for their first game in the Division 6 Hurricane League on Saturday before their first home league game the week after against Gore Court, in what has been billed as the ‘Sam Boyns derby’.

Boyns, the 28-year-old seam bowler and Court captain, has close links with Linton and lives barely a mile from the ground. His father, Alan, is on the Linton committee while Boyns Jr is still a regular for Linton on a Sunday, when they will continue to run two sides.

“Sam’s been talking a very strong game ahead of that one,” said Castle. “But everyone’s looking forward to it and we’re going to lay on a barbecue afterwards. It should be a good day, certainly a very competitive one.”

Linton are skippered by Josh Knowler but he is likely to be missing for the opening games after dislocating a knee in indoor nets, so the team will be led by Castle’s son, Tobey Castle, the vice-captain.

Among those also seeking to make an impression in the Kent League are fast bowler Anthony Karassellos, who is an under-17 player, and all-rounder Toby Hughes and batsman Henry Bourdillon, both of whom will be fitting cricket around their A-levels this year.

There is knowhow as well in two former captains - Mark Christmas, the bowler, and Dan Thirkell, the all-rounder, who has had Kent League top-flight experience with The Mote.

Castle added: “Everyone’s looking forward to the season. We won’t be having an overseas player, and it will take a few seasons for some of the clubs to find their level in the new structure but it’s something that cricket in the county needs and it’s a great opportunity for us.”