Junior co-ordinator John Knock reports: 

The Jr XI played 14 matches winning two and losing twelve with four games cancelled.  Having lost several over-age players from last year, the team suffered some heavy mid-season defeats.  But they bounced back with two exciting and fine wins in July.  Third place was achieved in the Herbert Hunter Plate U14 tournament at Penshurst, Leigh scoring 53 for 2 (Jamie McCarthy 27 not out) and restricting Bidborough to 49 for 4.  Two days later we beat Four Elms away, again by a four-run margin, with Frank Baker (52) and Eddie Allwood (28) putting on 104 for the first wicket. Frank scored another fine half century (56 not out) on the Green and shared Man of the Match when we lost the annual "test" match against Penshurst Park.

A special highlight was Leigh hosting an international match against Kolding CC juniors from Denmark, on the Green on 29 June. Kolding's strong side included three who had played for their country's youth team and they rattled up 209 for 5.  However, our defeat was made palatable by an excellent lunch in the pavilion provided by Leigh parents and Brenda and Neville Coombes from Plaxtol, via whom the match had originated.

Frank Baker again enthusiastically captained the U15 XI and received a TryAngle Award from Kent Youth and Community Service for his commitment to cricket and sport.  Meanwhile, Aaron Munday, Andrew Massingham and Jamie McCarthy shared the captaincy of the U14 XI. Frank, also now a regular feature in the Sunday senior first XI, led the batting with a total of 213 runs, Jamie scored 124 runs and took 10 wickets, leading the bowling. Will Martin and ten-year old Matthew Nicholson each took seven wickets and Liam Brooker (who substitute fielded for the Sunday First XI against Chelsfield Park in August) took six.

Thanks are due again to Vic Clark for his dedicated weekly coaching and standing as umpire.  I scored, selected the teams and arranged fixtures.  In all, some 24 boys played in a busy, sometimes excitable, but happy season.