Kent County Cricket Club today announced that it has worked in partnership with Shepway District Council to create a European Tournament - the first of which is to be held in Folkestone on 12, 13 and 14 September 2001. Teams from Holland and France will compete with a Kent Cricket Board XI and a Kent County XI in a four-way competition, aimed at stimulating further interest in the game in Europe.

Commenting on this new concept, Councillor Robert Bliss, District Secretary for Economic Development at Shepway District Council, said:

"It's great to be involved with Kent County Cricket Club to bring this very unusual tournament to Folkestone. It is our aim to get first class cricket back to the town after an absence of many years and this tournament is just the start. I am sure it will be a big success and will become an annual event involving the best in Europe and the best in Kent. We are really looking forward to it."

Kent County Cricket Club's Chief Executive, Paul Millman, added:

"We are delighted to be working with Shepway District Council in staging this event. We are sure there is huge potential for the game in Europe and there is no better place than Folkestone to start this development. We hope in time to be able to ask other European countries to take part and this might just be the start of a European Cup for cricket."

A match schedule and details of ticket arrangements are available from the Kent office.

© Kent CCC