Gillingham FC Forum

I know that Cricket is definitely a minority interest on the board but for those who follow our national summer game I guess, like me, the present sorry state of Kent cricket is a concern.

Despite making a profit last year we have not invested in any overseas player this season and the return of Denley and Coles looks to me like a step backwards. Who knows what is happening with Riley. We are rock bottom of Div 2, unable even to polish off the likes of Leicestershire and Glamorgan.

I blame Scally

Seriously one thing I don't get (I don't follow cricket so that won't help) is that I heard they wanted to get Beckenham open again. Do they still play games at Moat Park or did I imagine that? If so who pays for these grounds? I understand cricket is a county sport and more than one venue is useful but if money is being poured into getting other grounds up to standard that must take a lot of funds away? 3 grounds to maintain and pay out for can't be cheap especially with gate receipts that can't be massive? Then the wicket must be quite different at each so "home advantage" would be lost somewhat, lose more games and you won't earn as much winnings.

I`m not a Cricket fan,but I do check the results as I would like to see Kent do well.I do hope they can have a good season.

No , I think Kent only play at Canterbury and Beckenham, and the 2nd eleven play at various locations including Maidstone, and Folkstone..

I note a pretty comprehensive win for Kent yesterday but probably just papering over the cracks

Yes and a very welcome ten wicket haul for Matt Coles. In truth we only beat the side that's now bottom but that's a lot better than losing to them ! I don't quite know why we are so poor - we have Bell-Drummond, being touted as a future England opener, rising talent in spinner Riley and the wicket-keeper Billings, Sam Northeast being spoken of as an England t20 prospect, ex-internationals Rob Key and Darren Stevens.

I guess it's the lack of any genuine depth in the pace attack and the refusal of the County to sign any big name overseas player.

With County cricket not mentioned over here, I didn't know Kent were the bottom of the heap. I used to watch them a lot at Maidstone,Gillingham,Canterbury and Gravesend. In fact as a kid, me and my mate asked if we could carry Colin Cowdrey's bags to the change room at Gravesend. In the changeroom, Godfrey Evans told us to get out. When we explained what we were doing he arranged for us to go all around the room and get all the players autographs, which I've still got. That was a pretty big deal for a kid of 10 or 11 in those days. I can remember as a school kid at Gillingham Grammar in Third Avenue, bowling to Arthur Fagg in the nets.You need to be a bit older to remember him. I've also got my namesake's autograph, Doug Wright, who was the Kent and England spinner. Some really good memories. What has gone wrong?

It think it's the committee we've got - a real bunch of old 'blazers. We actually made a profit last year, despite being in the lower reaches of Div2, but still couldn't find the wherewithal to get a decent overseas player in. Treadwell plays for England but can't get in the team, Key seems to be more interested in his media career, there just doesn't seem to be any motivation there.

Another win for Kent seems to have passed without comment