Old Williamsonians return to competitive Kent League cricket this weekend - after a six-year absence.

Andy Stoute has led the club’s rebirth and they warmed up with a thrilling two-run friendly win over Kenley Sunday at their home ground, the Rochester Math School.

On Saturday, for the first time since 2018, league cricket returns when they host Medway rivals Sherwood 3rds in Division 13 Knott of the KCL.

They may be battling it out in the lower reaches this season but there will be plenty of smiles on Saturday as competitive cricket returns.

“It’s exciting times and I am buzzing for it,” said Mr Stoute.

“I have managed to get back a lot of players - a few stayed at the clubs they went to - but it’s going to be very interesting to see how these higher-level players get on playing in the bottom league!”

Old Wills stopped playing back in 2018 as they were unable to field two teams - which was then the demand of the Kent Cricket League.

“At the time a lot of the squad were either going off from University to different areas of the country or they were going travelling, it just happened that a whole cohort left at the same time,” Mr Stoute, the club manager explained.

“You needed to have a first and a second XI at the time and we just didn’t have the numbers so it was impossible for us to do it, sadly.”

Apart from the odd friendly match, Old Wills CC were no more, before Mr Stoute grew tired of watching other teams play and decided it was time to revive their own club.

Many months of hard work has culminated in a return for the 1st XI as well as an under-17 team that will be playing in the Medway Youth League. They’ve also got enough players for a team to play friendly matches on a Sunday.

There’s a women’s section too and many of the players have joined from the Old Wills hockey club, of which Mr Stoute is also a member.

He said: “They haven’t played yet, they are all novices, but it’s great for Medway and it could end up being big, which is really exciting.”

They’ve partnered up with the girls’ Rochester Grammar School and there are plenty of plans in the pipeline, including after-school coaching and friendly matches.

Mr Stoute says the return of cricket has been welcomed by the Math School.

“The school’s really embraced it,” he said.

“They are really pleased that we are back. The pavilion is used by the school and the hockey club through the year anyway, the only things we have had to do is spruce up the scoreboard, we’ve given that a lick of paint.

“We have the covers which I was involved in purchasing 10 years ago now, they have been renovated and they look really good.

“The sad thing is that we are one of only four teams out of the nine in our league who are going to be offering teas, which is quite sad. Cricket teas are a fundamental staple of cricket and I think it all came about during Covid when it went crazy, people were sitting on their own eating pack lunches. It’s a bit sad that a lot of clubs haven’t embraced it again.

“I said I wanted this to be a proper cricket club again. We will have Sky Sports on in the bar throughout the day, it’s going to be a really social club and if you are not playing or haven’t played for years or you want to have a go at playing cricket, then we are here.

“We train every Wednesday at the Math School at 6pm. Girls, boys, men, women, we welcome anyone, if you want to come and have a go.

“We can be a really big club. I do need to walk before I run though because I am doing a lot of this on my own, it is a little crazy, but we are getting there and really excited.”

The game against Sherwood this Saturday will be an interesting one as their opponents have several of the Old Wills Hockey Club playing for them.

Mr Stoute said: “A few of them have always played for Sherwood and they are looking forward to a proper local derby!

“We will have the bar open all day and we are basically starting from scratch, we have some old equipment, things we need to get, new balls, new stumps we have coming, we have got a whole new kit which everybody has ordered and on the 11th everybody is going to look so smart.”

Old Wills played Kenley Sunday 2nd XI last Saturday and enjoyed a close-fought game, winning by just two runs after bowling their opponents out for 140 with a ball remaining.