A devoted groundsman has been presented with a certificate to thank him for more than 30 years of service at one of the country’s oldest cricket fields.

Boughton and Eastwell Cricket Club stalwart Vic Lilley marked the occasion with representatives from the club and from Boughton and Eastwell Parish Council.

Mr Lilley, 70, played 875 games for the club as a slow spinner, picking up 696 wickets, which makes him fifth on the club’s record books.

But after his playing days were over, his love of the game continued, and now he cycles from his home in Wye to Boughton Aluph on a daily basis to prepare the perfect pitch.

Club secretary Mike Carney said: “Vic is very well respected and admired for his unstinting efforts by all club members, and from the number of comments I get from villagers, this view is shared by all in the area.

“For the last 20 years he has also been the custodian of the Boughton Lees village green, and can be seen almost every day of the tractor mowing the field or preparing the cricket strips for forthcoming club matches.

“He retired from long distance lorry driving just a few years ago, but he is not considering retirement as the groundsman. In fact I think the only way we could make him stop would be to take the wheels off the tractor!”

Mr Lilley was presented with his certificate of service from the Kent Association of Local Councils, the body to which the parish council is affiliated, as part of the Community Awards Scheme.

Attending the presentation were parish council chairman Ray Burrough and Cllrs Carol Bunker and Jason Matthews, along with cricket club president Johnnie Brooks.

Mr Lilley has had to work extra hard over the winter, after joyriders drove across the square and performed handbrake turns on the wicket, leaving deep ‘doughnut’ tyre marks across the square and the outfield.

Despite the incident, the square has been ready for yet another summer of action at the green off the A252 Faversham Road.

The village green and cricket field is listed in the MCC records as being one of the first recorded afternoon tea intervals during a match.

Do you know any dedicated volunteers or community champions who deserve recognition?

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