Leeds & Broomfield’s Max Aitken says opening-day derby with Kings Hill is toughest possible start to their Kent Cricket League season

By Mark Bristow

Leeds & Broomfield open their second season in the Kent League’s third tier, knowing they will have to take their A-game into Saturday's local derby at home to newly-promoted Kings Hill,

Both teams have hurtled through the Kent League structure at pace in recent years, with Leeds hopeful of improving on their fourth-place finish last season.

They face a side who were runaway champions from the division below, losing one game.

“It’s the toughest of starts,” said Max Aitken, who hands over the captaincy after four years to opener George Davis.

“We know Kings Hill will be among the favourites for our league but I’m confident we’ll be up there also.

“Kings Hill have got a great overseas in Lachlan Crump returning this season and with the likes of Miles Richardson and Richard Nicol also there, they are going to be strong.”

Indeed Crump, a player with the Gold Coast Dolphins, scored 736 league runs in 2022, behind Nicol’s 970 runs and Richardson who, in addition to his 862 league runs, took 41 wickets.

Leeds will also have overseas strength in Ryan Tullia, a 24-year-old batsman and club captain for Sydney grade team Gordon.

Aitken said: “Ryan's been with us for a couple of weeks now although he had the typical Australian batsman’s start in English cricket, popping up a catch after being early on a drive in our friendly away to Sevenoaks Vine.

“But as he adjusts to the pace of the pitches at this time of year he'll be a great acquisition.

“We’ll certainly need Ryan. When we were making our way up through the divisions, there were some one-sided games but in this division this season there doesn’t seem to be any weak links.”

The availability of former Sevenoaks Vine captain Tom Parsons, which was restricted to