Kent Kings rider Ben Morley starred on his home track as England beat Australia in the first-ever NORA international speedway challenge.

Morley, captaining the side, scored an 18-point maximum as England triumphed 50-38 at the Old Gun Site in Iwade.

Fellow Kent man Rhys Naylor scored a paid 14, while Jacob Clouting added 12 points for the host nation.

Morley added individual honours in the second half of the meeting in the form of the Kent Supporters Trophy, taking the £250 first prize.

Kings boss Ben Clifton looked after the England team in the season-ending event, which attracted a crowd of more than 500.

He said: “It was a huge honour to manage the England team and what a performance they put in.

“Ben, in this form he’s shown this season, cleaning up in all the NORA and individual events here at Kent and on the Isle of Wight, is showing he’s at the peak of his powers.”

For the Aussies, Matt Marson and Paddy Hamilton impressed with 13 and paid 11 respectively, while teenager Senna Summers will be happy with a heat win in his first visit to the Kent track.

Two evenly-matched sides saw the opening salvoes remain close with just a two-point lead for the England side after four heats.

The first significant lead for the hosts came in heat five with the impressive Clouting and Jack Kingston grabbing a maximum over Marson and Summers.

Hamilton was in typically lively mood, storming to victory in the following race, but Morley then produced the ride of the match to beat opposite number Dayle Wood.

That was quickly followed by Clouting and Naylor delivering the Lions’ second maximum heat advantage of the afternoon for a 29-19 advantage after eight races.

Australia are nothing if not plucky, though, and they launched a counter-offensive in the next three heats as wins for Summers and Marson brought the deficit down to six points with four heats to go.

But with Morley in such devastating form and combining brilliantly with Naylor, there was to be no way back for the Aussies, as two more 5-1s clinched a deserved England victory.