The Bearsted Cricket Club 1st XI has achieved a feat more familiar to fans of Leicester City and the Premier League. Our last full season in 2019 saw us survive relegation from Division 1 on the final day. Our next full season (with a Covid impacted year off from the usual league) from that near relegation has seen us win the Division 1 title with two games to spare.

We enjoyed a very strong start to the 18-game season. In game week 2 we posted 292-7 in a reduced to 35 overs game vs Cudham Wyse on The Green to win by 153 runs and in game week 3 we set a new Bearsted CC club record as we bowled Sissinghurst out for 37 to win by 150 runs at Sissinghurst.

We also had to show our battling qualities, winning the reverse fixture against Cudham Wyse on the penultimate ball with 1 wicket left and beating Outwood away in our last game after being 40-5, before rallying to chase 173 in a reduced to 30 overs game.

No team has ever won the Division 1 title whilst also being unbeaten. We have a chance to do exactly that and become League record breakers as Invincibles. However, we have two very challenging games coming up. This Saturday sees our final home game on The Green vs a resurgent Shipbourne team, fighting relegation. The game starts at 1pm on The Green and we welcome as much support as possible.

We finish our campaign away at our neighbours, Linton Park, who I’m sure will want to make it a great atmosphere as they fight to finish in second place.

The achievement of the 1st XI this year is made even more remarkable when our other three seasons spent in the top division have seen us finish in chronological order 7th, 10th (relegated) and 8th out of 10. We have to look back to 2003 for our last top division title as we won the now defunct Invicta League.

This bank holiday weekend also sees our annual charity game versus the Bearsted and Thurnham Club on Monday 30th August from 1pm on The Green. The game is in memory of club legend Mick Filmer, who captained the 1st, 2nd and Sunday XI’s whilst also scoring 11,020 runs as a devastating left-hand batsman. We will also be raising funds for the Heart of Kent Hospice and the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance, whose services we are all to familiar with after this year.