The Mote have booked their place back in the Shepherd Neame Kent League Premier Division next season.

Glen Aukett’s side, who were relegated from the top flight in 2003, clinched their return as Division 1 runners-up behind champions Lordswood with an 87-run victory in their promotion showdown with Hythe last Saturday.

The Mote were in the driving seat going into the game, holding a 10-point lead over third-placed Hythe. But, after being put in on a lively wicket, The Mote were in trouble early on before their middle and lower order came to the rescue, led by Laurence Waters (42) and James Marriott (32), as they scrambled to 185-9.

However, with their strong batting line-up, Hythe must have fancied their chances of reaching that target, and thus securing the 16 points which would earn them promotion.

Instead, batsmen of the calibre of Dan Furnival, Leon Morgan and Jon Smith were all blown away by what Aukett (pictured) described as "our best bowling performance of the season" as Hythe were dismissed for just 98.

Aukett said: "I decided to change things round a bit and had myself and Kenny George opening the bowling and I took 3-36 while Kenny picked up 3-28 so that at the end of our two 15-over spells, Hythe were 65-6 and we didn’t allow them to recover."