Pharon Indoor Cricket League 2014/15 starts

ALAN BENSTED previews the new indoor cricket season at the Ames-Levett Sports Centre.

The season began with the surprise decision of Street End not to defend the Pharon Indoor Cricket League title won for the first time in January.

With a large number of enthusiastic juniors to nurture, the club requested to be relegated before the season but entered three sides in the lower divisions.

The league is spilt into three divisions of eight teams and play for 10 hours on Sundays until the end of March.

Former national champions Canterbury and Whitstable look like favourites for the titles on early-season form but exect a challenge from the students with Christ Church entering two teams and another fro the University of Kent in the mix.

The junior section, playing on Saturdays, has attracted more clubs than ever before. Ten teams have entered the Under 15s competition which runs until December with the under 13s in action after Christmas.

Reigning champions Nonington and Chestfield each have two teams taking part.

Independent financial advisors Pharon, based in Harbledown, have renewed their sponsorship for the 17th year as backers of one of the biggest indoor leagues in the country.