- 1 year ago
Join Bartholomew Hall with a roundup of Kent's sporting action.
On today's episode, we take a look at the double loss for Kent Cricket as the T20 season continues, a Kent karting track that has been given the green flag for a new paddock building and we speak to Dartford F.C.'s players and manager who train 240 young ballers.
On today's episode, we take a look at the double loss for Kent Cricket as the T20 season continues, a Kent karting track that has been given the green flag for a new paddock building and we speak to Dartford F.C.'s players and manager who train 240 young ballers.
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00:00Hello and welcome along to Invicta Sport, the only show on your TV dedicated to wrapping up
00:17all of Kent's sporting action. I'm Bartholomew Hall, here's what to expect on this Monday the
00:227th of July. Spitfires struggle, a double loss for Kent cricket as the T20 season continues,
00:30Buck more to come, Kent karting track giving the green flag for new paddock building and future
00:37footballers. Dartford FC's players and manager trained 240 young ballers. But first, Maidstone's
00:45Alessia Russo refused to comment on the referee's decision after a controversial VAR check which
00:50led to England's defeat to France at their first Euro 2025 match in Switzerland. The former
00:56Biersted FC player found the back of the net in the opening minutes but it was ruled out for an
01:02offside against Beth Mead. The match ended 2-1 to France, their left third in the Group D table.
01:09Well, England will continue their defence of their European title this Wednesday as they face the
01:14Netherlands. Kick-off for that match is at five o'clock. Sticking with football, Gillingham is in
01:20full training ahead of their pre-season schedule kicking off tomorrow. The Jills make their regular
01:26pre-season visit to Crabble to face Dover on Tuesday as their first outing of the summer.
01:31It comes before League One's Reading will head to Priestfield this weekend. Midfielder Johnny
01:36Williams says the team will use these matches to build a platform to perform when the season does
01:42kick off. Gillingham's League Two campaign begins against Accrington Stanley on the 2nd of August.
01:47Gravesend Dynamite Wheelchair Rugby Club have been saved from having to pack up after it secured a
01:53new contract with North Fleet Family Hub. The group, which had been using the hall free of charge
01:58from Kent County Council for eight years, was informed they would not be able to use the site
02:02after financial changes from the local authority. Well, after months of uncertainty, the club has
02:07announced a new contract which will see it returned to the hall despite now having to pay a new fee.
02:12Darts legend Raymond van Barneveld has helped Dartford FC launch its new kit. As part of the
02:19North Kent Club's partnership with darts manufacturer Target, the five-time World Darts
02:24Champion appeared in their announcement video alongside members from the men's and women's
02:28teams. Van Barneveld was given a tour of the stadium, met the squad and took part in a series
02:34of challenges. Well, the partnership, a play on the club's nickname The Darts, will see the brands
02:39working closely with schools and organisations in the area to increase sporting opportunities
02:43for children and adults.
02:45Don't forget, you can keep up to date with all the latest football news by reading Kent Online.
02:50Or you can also have your weekly digest of Gilles news sent directly to your email inbox. Just search
02:56Kent Online email alerts and sign up on the website for all the latest written transfer news, match reports
03:01and interviews. And if the Gilles isn't your cup of tea, well, there's plenty more email alerts
03:06to choose from, including all the latest non-league football news too. And it is very important
03:11to stay up to date as we continue with the transfer window.
03:16Now, let's take a look back at this weekend's cricket results for Kent. After a mixed start
03:20for the Spitfires in their Vitality T20 Blast campaign, it was another double-header weekend
03:25for Kent, which proved to be something of a challenge for Adam Hollyoak's side. With everything
03:30you might have missed from Friday's home tie with Sussex and Sunday's away match to Glamorgan,
03:34here's Lloyd Stephens.
03:38The Sussex Sharks set the Kent Spitfires a respectable 195 with Daniel Hughes making a
03:44swift 48 from 28 and his partner Tom Clark assisting with an equally speedy 43 from 25.
03:52Nathan Gilchrist led the fight back with three wickets only conceding 31 to help restrict
03:57the Sharks to 195 for nine. The only glimpse of hope was Harry Finch who blazed his way
04:04to his first T20 half century of just 26 balls as Kent were on pace in the early stages.
04:11But the Spitfires soon fell victim to the Sussex Sharks bowling attack with Danny Lamb leading
04:15the charge with five to 15.
04:20Ken also suffered another defeat yesterday in Cardiff, this time a humbling six-wicket loss
04:46to Glamorgan. A disastrous start saw Kent slip to nine for two inside three overs, their top
04:53order was blown away on a tricky green pitch. Andy Gorvin tore through the middle order with
04:58a career best of four for 17. Only vice-captain Jack Leaning stood firm, hitting an unbeaten
05:0545. His late flurry helped Kent limp to a miserable 119 all-out.
05:11Kieran Carlsen led the way with a fluent 34 while Will Smale's daring ramp lit up the power play.
05:30Now, Faversham's own Sink Ports Rowing Club will be making waves on the world stage this summer as
05:38they head to Scotland for the Skiff Worlds 2025. It's the world championships for the St. Ailes
05:44Skiff class of traditional coastal rowing boats. With 79 hand-built boats and more than 2,000 rowers
05:51from across four continents taking part, it'll of course be a huge challenge to overcome. Kai Wei's
05:57been speaking with the team that will be heading up from Kent to Scotland.
06:04Today, Sink Ports Rowing Club in Faversham have taken place in the Skiffy Worlds, an international
06:14rowing competition specific to coastal rowing boats. I think it's 79 of the boats you've seen
06:20out on the water today, the St. Ailes Skiff, are going to be competing. I think there's
06:252,000 people going, so there's this world championships, people from four continents, and we'll be representing
06:32Faversham. As part of a community boat building project, many people across Faversham have helped
06:37build the boat that the team are rowing with today, dubbed Minerva. We've built five skiffs
06:43now, and the age range of those who've been the boat builders has been 12 to 86, I think.
06:52So they come for two hours a week with me. I'm the lead boat builder, and they just carry
06:58on from where the boat has progressed. Faversham has a creek, Faversham Creek, and I think the
07:06project has highlighted the beautiful creek that we have. We've got people on the water,
07:14people perhaps who've not taken part in water sports before, and it's really brought the
07:21creek alive. I also spoke with a member that said rowing
07:25with the community has changed her life significantly. It's been really useful and helpful in my recovery
07:32from two serious illnesses. One, brain haemorrhage, and secondly, overcoming cancer, which was my
07:40last chemotherapy session, which was December. We did go to the Dutch World Skiffy Festival,
07:48or competition, which was three years ago, and it was really lovely. We met so many interesting
07:55and different people from all over the world, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, America. We're hoping
08:00to not embarrass ourselves, basically. But who knows, we could come back with a medal,
08:06which would be fantastic. As a person that likes to see the glasses half full, as opposed
08:12to half empty, it would be fantastic if we did come back with something, but it's competing
08:19is the main thing, and just being part of it.
08:22We'll follow up with the rowing team after the competition to see how they did, and hopefully
08:26we'll see a few medals when they return.
08:33Looks like a lot of fun there. Now, former Arsenal and England captain Tony Adams has taken
08:39to Margate FC's pitch after 23 years of not playing, all to raise awareness for two recovery
08:46support charities. The Emma Erkheart Cup is named after the charity's late volunteer and
08:51saw Raw and the Forward Trust face off to honour her memory. Finn McDermott went pitchside to see
08:57how the charity match went down, and if Tony can still put up a good fight after all these years.
09:04So, first of all, how does it feel to get back on the pitch after 23 years?
09:10Exhausting. Absolutely exhausting.
09:14Well, it may have been 23 years since ex-England and Arsenal captain Tony Adams has laced up his boots,
09:22but he still brought his A-game to Margate FC's Hartsdown Park to support those struggling with addiction.
09:28Adams himself struggled with alcoholism off the pitch, and now he's lined up with volunteers
09:33from the addiction support charities Raw and the Forward Trust to raise money and awareness
09:37for the charities in the first ever match of the Emma Erkheart Cup, named after a volunteer
09:42for the charities who passed away a short while ago.
09:45I've got some fantastic services in employment, in education, housing and recovery, and it's all about recovery.
09:52Emma used to work for the Forward Trust, who sadly passed away, so I'm more than happy to put my boots on
09:59to honour Emma's memory, the great work the Forward Trust do here, and Raw.
10:06We played against Raw today. Reach out and recover. They do a lot of good work also in the area.
10:11I'm very proud to be chairman. I'm very proud to put the boots back on.
10:14Since the days of Tony's playing career with Arsenal in England, football has undergone a transformation,
10:19and now clubs like Margate can be a vessel for social change in their communities.
10:24Yeah, football can do that in lots of ways. Obviously, it brings people together.
10:27As part of our drop-in, we have football sessions running anyway on a Friday, so people get together.
10:33They develop social networks, they develop friendships, they realise that they've still got the skills they had a long time ago,
10:40and, yeah, it can obviously help with mental health and physical health all at the same time.
10:45In the end, the Forward Trust lost on penalties, but even though Tony said he would only play 10 minutes a side,
10:50he ended up playing around 70 minutes, which goes to show just how much the cause means to him.
10:55Other people, my fellowship, the people around me have helped me get clean and sober, so this is why I do days like this.
11:03We need the connections. We can't beat this on our own, so reach out for help.
11:07The man who spent most of his career helping Arsenal to four Premier League titles
11:12is now spending his time working with volunteers and helping those who need it most.
11:17Finn McDermid for KMTV.
11:21Now we've reached half-time, which means it is time for a break,
11:24but coming up we'll be hearing about how Buckmore Park has been given the green flag
11:28to expand the Kent famous racing track, and we'll be hearing about how people have been getting involved
11:34in tug-of-war here in Kent and how competitive the game really can be on the world stage.
11:40All that and plenty more to come on Invictus Sport this evening after this very short break.
11:45See you in a minute.
12:04Hello and welcome back to Invictus Sport live on KMTV.
12:11Good to still have you with us this evening.
12:13Now Chatham's Buckmore Park racing circuit has been given the green flag
12:17to create a brand new motorsport-themed sports centre,
12:21all aimed at inspiring a new generation of racing fans.
12:25The track, which birthed the early careers of famous racing drivers
12:28such as Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris, celebrated its 60th anniversary last year.
12:33The daughter of Formula One champion John Surtees and CEO of the park, Leonora Martell Surtees,
12:39spoke with us about the changes earlier.
12:42So the paddock development at Buckmore Park is going to be an additional building
12:48to the space that we already have down there.
12:51So it's going to complement the current motorsport events that we do,
12:54but it's going to enable us to double our business down at Buckmore Park.
12:58So it's going to be a venue that's for members of the public, but also for our drivers.
13:04So there's going to be a room of 18 state of the art full motion simulators.
13:09There will be a cafe and restaurant, which will be open to the public,
13:13a very large viewing platform for the racing circuit.
13:18So we're looking to hire sort of up to about 30 new people.
13:23So, you know, that'd be more than doubling our current team.
13:27So, yeah, that would be a really, really exciting development for us down at Buckmore.
13:32And also these will be jobs available at all levels.
13:34So from a management level to an entry level position.
13:37So, you know, and I think that's also what's needed across Kent are positions available at all levels for people from.
13:45And here's a reminder of how I got on when I gave it a go on the track back when the paddock was announced.
13:51So many great British motorsport careers began passing through these corners,
14:12and that's what bosses here at Buckmore Park want to see continuing on into the future.
14:17But bosses say that it might not be on the track that the next Lewis Hamilton or Orlando Norris is discovered here.
14:24Instead, it'll be over there.
14:26The plan is to replace a previously overlooked paddock building with a 20,000 square foot hub,
14:32including a restaurant, sports bar and 18 top-of-the-line motion simulators.
14:37Next, former Gurkha and double above-the-knee amputee Harry Budamagar from Kent
14:42has set off on a 150-mile ride to Belgium.
14:46Hand cycling along fellow veterans to honour the fallen and raise funds for those still living with the scars of service.
14:52Well, the Tommy Ride has been taking place for eight years now,
14:55and each journey peddles a powerful message of remembrance, resilience and support for veterans past and present.
15:01Here's how they all got on.
15:03You might mistake it for a start of a race, but these riders aren't chasing medals, they're riding with memory.
15:11In the eighth annual Tommy Ride, more than 40 cyclists are setting off from Aylesford to Belgium.
15:17Leading the pack is Harry Budamagar, a former Gurkha and the first double above-the-knee amputee to summit Mount Everest.
15:25That's handbrake, that's a brake as well and there's a gear on here.
15:32Unlike the others, Harry powers his trike by hand and it's his first time taking part.
15:38Last year I came to start this event and this year I think I should get involved and support RBLI for whatever they do.
15:52They do an amazing job to support our veterans, so I come here to support RBLI and RBLI can support our veterans.
16:00He's joined by three former colleagues, all four losing limbs to IEDs in the same week in Afghanistan 15 years ago.
16:09I got injured in the second operational tour.
16:13I almost completed like half, almost two and a half months during the tour and I got injured.
16:21I understand you and Harry both lost your legs in the same operation, is that right?
16:26Yes, me and Harry, Harry injured before me and I injured later on around half of my tour.
16:36Some of today's riders work at the RBLI factory. While many are veterans, others are simply here to support and raise vital funds.
16:45We're hoping to raise over £80,000 and the money raised will go to supporting what you see here on the village.
16:52So that's homes, support and work opportunities for some of our veterans who need it the most.
16:59And that's really important isn't it?
17:01Absolutely important. Here at the village we look after around 300 veterans and their families and we provide work opportunities.
17:08We provide the support that they need to get back on their feet and where they need to be.
17:14The group left at breakfast time, heading to Dover and across the Channel to Calais where they'll spend the night.
17:20Tomorrow they'll complete the journey through World War One battlefields, ending with a remembrance service.
17:26Gabriel Morris for KNTV in Ellsford.
17:32Now the sack race, wheelbarrow race and the three legged race. All classic sports day games and of course tug of war is no different.
17:40But how it's played in the national championships in Tunbridge certainly is.
17:44Hundreds of teams from across the country all gathered with the clear goal in mind, getting gold in their weight class and earning themselves a spot at the World Championships in Nottingham later this year.
17:55Finn McDermott went to find out more.
18:25We call it tug of war.
18:27Grit, grip, strength and steadiness were all on show but it was the team's stamina that was tested under the sweltering sun for the national championships in Tunbridge.
18:36Which saw more than a hundred teams battling it out for the ultimate prize.
18:40So the winning teams with the weights will go on to represent England at the World Championships in September in Nottingham which England are hosting.
18:51We've got teams from all over the country, from Cumbria, from Devon as well as the local team Oxley-Vines Cross who are based on the Kent and Sussex borders.
19:01And they land just on the Sussex side of that border meaning there was no official Kent team at the tournament.
19:07Despite this they were tipped as the favourites but lost out in the finals to ANSI.
19:12Months of solid training, gone into it and everyone's put their whole every bit in. Awesome.
19:17We've never won anything before, we've never represented at the World Championships.
19:21To do this it's like we're just a young group of friends getting together doing something we enjoy, it's amazing.
19:26And there was more finals drama as over in the women's bracket Melton Mowbray took the gold from Bedford Ladies in the Midlands Derby
19:33and added a trip to Nottingham for a chance at the world title on top of their busy international schedule.
19:39I'm so happy I feel like I could fight my person.
19:43This is what we've trained all year for, this is the weight that we're representing Great Britain in in China.
19:48So if we lost it here we'd probably get a headstand but it's just incredible to win it here and then know we're going to China in August.
19:55and compete there at the same weight.
19:58But unlike the weather, the state of the sport isn't all sunshine and rainbows with less teams participating than in tug of war's glory days.
20:06It's mainly a traditionally rural sport to be fair, there used to be a lot more teams around this area today
20:11but obviously all of those have gone over time so the sort of traditional teams, a lot of the successful teams
20:18try and keep going to keep winning so that's how a lot of teams stay involved in the sport but we would like more to get involved.
20:24And for those who did and won, they'll go from competing in a field in Tunbridge to getting a chance at the world championship title.
20:31Finn McDermid for KMTV.
20:37Finally from us, during the season break, Dartford FC held their annual Fun Day with one key difference,
20:44about 240 children that signed up to a training session from the club's players.
20:49The children learnt step-overs, turns and other skills from the non-league side's men's and women's team
20:54with manager Adrian Pennock offering advice to the young ballers as well.
20:58Finn McDermid went down to Dartford to find out more.
21:05These are the footballers of tomorrow, these are the coaches of tomorrow, the referees of tomorrow and the manager of tomorrow.
21:14So yeah, it feels like a privilege to be able to be part of that.
21:17Before the start of the new season, Dartford held their annual Fun Day with one new addition.
21:22A simple training session with some of the first and women's team players that local young fans could join in on.
21:28They could learn skills, meet other Dartford fans their own age and get to play with members of the Isthmian Premier side.
21:33What the club might not have expected was 240 children signing up to join it, making it, according to the club,
21:39the biggest ever free youth training session in Kent.
21:43At times there can be a bit of a gap between the first team of any club and the kids that come and watch us
21:47or the kids that are training as part of the academy.
21:49So to kind of bridge that gap with a day like today, I think it's an incredible opportunity.
21:54And again, Dartford's a massive community. We're a football club, you can look at us at the heart of it.
21:59And it's nice to just get everyone in, kids included, but kids come with their parents and parents come with their friends.
22:04So it's all about just bringing the community of Dartford together around this football club.
22:08If you were to ask all these children what they want to be when they grow up,
22:11I think you might be able to guess the answer, footballer.
22:14So how valuable is it to them to be able to come down to their local club and play, talk to and even score against the players?
22:21Well, it's very expensive. Football is expensive. And it's tough times for everybody out there.
22:25You know, as we know, the economy is not great. And we know the country is not in a great position.
22:32And it's tough for families. But I think it's great for the football club.
22:36The football club has put this on, like I say, free. They get a nice medal afterwards and a little goodie pack.
22:40And in the goodie pack, we're giving them free tickets for games. And that's what it's all about.
22:44Dartford Supporters Association wanted to make sure the session was free, to open their doors to as many fans, current or new, as they could.
22:51But with the understanding that football isn't always the cheapest sport.
22:55The free tickets let the children, some as young as five or six, gain admission for a match with a parent.
23:01And although this is the first time they've held the sessions, they say they'll likely keep running them for future fun days.
23:07Finn McDermid for KMTV.
23:10Looks like they were all enjoying themselves. Well, that is it. That is full time on today's episode of Invicta Sport.
23:16If you want more from KMTV, you can watch all of our special programs, including the Kent Politics Show, Made in Kent, Kent on Climate and the Kent Film Club, all by visiting our website.
23:26It's kmtv.co.uk.
23:28When you get there, all you need to do is click on the sports tab and you'll be able to watch all the latest sports reviews, match reports and interviews from us here on KMTV.
23:37I'll be back next Monday with more sport from across the county. But for now, goodbye.
23:58.
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