By Mark Bristow

This year alone, he has played games in Perth, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and even the MCG, while later in the season, the 25,500 capacity Kia Oval will be home to white-ball specialist Laurie Evans.

But in the meantime it is to Leeds & Broomfield’s more bucolic surrounds that the 36-year-old will be heading on Saturday for his Dartford debut in the second tier of the Kent League, where the audience will include ramblers and the odd segway rider on the neighbouring Leeds Castle park land.

The presence of a player who has featured in the latest edition of Australia’s Big Bash League - and is on a white ball-only contract with Surrey - will not faze Leeds, who adjusted well to life in the Championship last year after winning promotion in 2023, the same season in which they reached the final of the Voneus Village Cup at Lord’s.

Vice-chairman and top-order batsman Max Aitken is banking on the club consolidating and improving on their seventh-placed finish from 2024.

“It was an encouraging season,” reflected the 33-year-old Aitken. “Sevenoaks Vine and Beckenham were the only sides we didn’t beat and even Holmesdale, who were promoted, we managed to beat once.

“We assured ourselves of safety with four or five games left.

“As far as playing against Laurie Evans is concerned, with no disrespect I don’t think anyone has really thought about it at Leeds and sometimes it’s easy to be distracted by these things.

"I’m told [former England Test opener] Nick Compton is going to be playing for the Vine this year. Obviously at this level you come across the occasional name player.”

The Leeds batting line-up, already strong last year, will be augmented by an overseas player in Jack White, a 25-year-old Tasmanian left-arm spinner and batsman and Will Donald, a top-order batsman who also bowls left-arm spin and has moved to the area from York.

Aitken added: “We got Jack White through a cricket agent who [Leeds opening bowler] Tom Parsons knows. We were offered 10 or 11 choices but he seemed to fit the bill best for us and he’s going to be staying with the McCague family at Lenham Heath. Obviously it gives us a bit more in the bowling department.”

Off the field Leeds have been busy raising money towards their new pavilion, having been granted planning permission from the local authority.

Aitken added: “We need £49,000 to get us in a position to start the building phase and I think it will become easier after that. We’ve raised about £10,000 and we’ve got a few fund-raising events going on during the season.

“As the club has grown the existing facility has become no longer fit for purpose so the new one will give us something bigger. I suppose the closest comparison locally in terms of size and structure would be the pavilion at Kings Hill.”

Meanwhile the long road towards what Leeds hope will be a second Lord’s final in three years in the Voneus Village Cup continues on Sunday at home to Linton Park.

Leeds beat High Halstow in the first round but will hope for a better start to their batting against Linton, having found themselves 2-2 against High Halstow before going on to win by 101 runs.