THE Kent men's tennis team have returned to the top flight of county competition after a weekend of nail-biting action.

County tennis is split into 11 groups and after beating Hertfordshire, Essex and Sussex in group 2A, Kent were promoted to the premier level.

A delighted team captain Richard Whichello said: "I am enormously proud of the team's performance.

"To get promoted was a fabulous achievement and every member of the team played their heart out.

"I am sure our great team spirit gave us the edge when it most counted."

But the weekend of competition, held in Welwyn Garden City from November 25 to November 27, started with bad news for Kent as four of their top five players were unavailable to play.

Rob Searle, Jack Baker and Nick Cavaday are at American Universities on tennis scholarships while Miles Kasiri, last year's junior Wimbledon runner-up, was also out of action.

The full team was Colin Beecher from Hayes, Andy Burgoyne from Sydenham, Chris Doer from Petts Wood and Bromley-based Richard Whichello and Oliver Freelove.

Joining them were Jim and Paddy May from Dartford, Sean Thornley from West Wickham, Beckenham-based James Langford and Alistair Filmer from Rochester.

During the three days of competition counties play each other over six single matches and three doubles the first to five wins.

In their opening clash Kent were underdogs against Hertfordshire, although the absence of Arvind Palmer, ranked 197 in the world, benefitted Whichello's boys hugely.

In the singles Burgoyne beat Justin Thomas over three sets and Beecher overcame Mark George 6-4, 6-4.

But debutant Thornley's 7-5, 7-5 triumphed over the experienced Nick Lester was the pick of the opening rubbers.

Defeats for May, Freelove and Filmer to Neil Bamford, Guy Thomas and Hamut Hejazi respectively meant the singles ended 3-3.

The opening doubles matches were shared with Filmer and Thornley losing 5-7, 3-6 and Beecher and Jim May winning 6-3, 6-1.

The decider was a mammoth two-and-three-quarter hour session in which Burgoyne and Freelove had to save two match points to eventually win 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 and take the overall match 5-4.

Kent kept the winning momentum going with a convincing 7-2 rubbers victory over Essex where the team were never in trouble.

The final match against Sussex had a simple equation win and Kent were promoted, lose and they were not.

They started well with Colin Beecher beating Barry Scollo 6-1, 6-3 and Paddy May beat Ben Bant 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Burgoyne and Freelove won their rubbers over Miles Bugby and James Cuthell respectively but two defeats saw the singles end 4-2 in Kent's favour.

In the first double Filmer and Paddy May won the first set before one of their opponents retired with an injury to concede the match, meaning Kent won 5-2 and promotion was secured.

Whichello said: "We have only ever been in group 1 once before and we got relegated straightaway.

"This time I am really fired up to win the championship for the first time in our team's history.

"We are now in the top division for the summer and winter National Inter County Championships.

"Long may it last."