Blake keen to build on Headingley win

Alex Blake knows Kent cannot afford to lose many more Clydesdale Bank 40 games if they are to qualify for the semi-finals, despite victory over Yorkshire at Headingley Carnegie yesterday.

The visitors overhauled Yorkshire’s 230 for seven with two balls an as many wickets in hand, thanks principally to Martin van Jaarsveld’s well-paced 74 from 65 deliveries.

Blake also chipped in with two wickets and a cameo 19 from 16 balls and the 22-year-old hopes the Spitfires can now replicate the run that saw them finish last season’s group stage with five straight wins.

That was not quite enough to earn a semi-final berth, but a similar record from here on would give Kent a strong chance of reaching the last four.

“Last year we had quite a good run at the end and we just missed out,” he told ecb.co.uk. “This season we’ve played four, won two, lost two so I don’t think we can afford to lose too many more.

“So if we string a few more together hopefully we’ll be up there challenging for top spot.”

Blake credited van Jaarsveld’s role in yesterday’s triumph. With the match in the balance at 175 for five, the veteran struck the first five balls of an Ajmal Shahzad over for four before being bowled off the last.

“We were always at sort of sixes and sevens and the whole time we had Martin van Jaarsveld there I think we were in with a good chance,” Blake said.

“That over where he got 20 off it and then got out last ball, that actually gave us a lot of momentum and brought it right down. So it was unfortunate for him to get out but he did a great job in getting us to where we were.”

Blake’s wickets came in his first competitive over of the season; Adam Lyth cut his opening ball to Darren Stevens at backward point and his fourth trapped Lee Hodgson lbw.

“It was nice. I haven’t bowled all season,” he added. “I’ve been trying to work at it, sort of in warm-ups and in the nets and wot-not.

“Got the nod today, a bit of a green seamer, so I got the nod so I got a couple of wickets in the first one. I burgled a couple so it was alright.”

From ecb.co.uk

Click here for Alex Blake's interview

Photo by Sarah Ansell from SarahCanterbury.com