The Shepway Stragglers were delighted to play against the Smith Family XI at their ground in Maxted Street on 31^st May. With loam soil brought in to create the wicket in the family paddock, and a setting to challenge many of the most beautiful grounds in Kent, excitement levels were high in the Straggler XI for the inaugural fixture. 

Batting first, Alex Gordon Lennox and Harry Pattinson went in to face young G Clark, who did not miss a beat in his opening spell and was rewarded with Pit Pat’s wicket. A good lesson to play the ball not the bowler!  With short boundaries, AGL reached the rope with regularity while Freddie Loudon (winner of the Peter Budden Award in 2024) picked up two quick wickets with his off spin, one of those being James Mitchell, the first of the 3 Mitchells in the middle order. Patch joined Alex and they both set about to add some respectability to the scoreboard, while also conscious of the batting to come! Alex was first out for 46, while unfortunately Freddie Mitchell and Guy Edmond Jones (also on Straggler debut) were unable to hang around for long. Rufus Pullen provided some late innings hitting to reach 36*.  With Patch out for 46, the Stragglers finished on 195-8 from 35 overs. 

Rufus had clearly not taken advantage of the full tea on offer, as he charged in off his long run, and while Freddie Loudon got a few boundaries away to kick off the chase. Rufus was rewarded with 2 early wickets, one a genuine edge to slip, cleanly taken by Patch – a rare site in a Straggler match. At the other end, Freddie Mitchell hammered away at a length like a seasoned pro, and was very unlucky not to pick up his first Straggler wicket. Harry Pattinson came on, and nipped out Maxted’s number 3, until the father/son combo of Ed and Dexter Smith put on a match winning partnership to see Maxted home with Dexter hitting a six to win it, and to bring up his fifty.  All in all, an absolutely fantastic afternoons cricket, and a huge thank you to the Smiths for their very generous hospitability. We look forward to next year.