Clydesdale Bank 40 – It’s what Sunday afternoons were made for

Kent“s cricketers take a break from LV= County Championship action on Sunday as they return to the popular 40 over competition – back for the 2010 season. The Clydesdale Bank 40 begins this Sunday, with nine matches taking place up and down the country.

In a strange quirk of fate, Kent begin their CB40 campaign with a home match against old rivals Warwickshire – a side the club constantly battled against in the old Sunday League.

The Clydesdale Bank 40 is the new domestic 40 over competition. Netherlands, Scotland and the Unicorns (a team of players without first class contracts) will join the 18 First Class Counties in the competition. The 21 teams have been drawn into three groups and Kent will play home and away matches against Warwickshire, Durham, Nottinghamshire, Scotland, Hampshire and Leicestershire.

The three group winners and one runner up, with the highest points score, will contest the semi finals with the final to be played at Lord“s on September 18. With games starting at 1.45pm, the CB40 is the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

In this new competition, Kent will be sponsored by ECL Telecom and will wear a new style shirt. The new shirts, which are manufactured in China, should have made their debut this weekend but they have been caught in transit due to volcanic ash disruptions.

Commenting on the kit saga and the new competition, Kent“s chief executive officer, Jamie Clifford, said: “Everyone is looking forward to the start of the new and exciting CB40. I, like many others, grew up watching the old Sunday League and spent many happy afternoons cheering on Kent with my parents and grandparents. We aim to make it a real family atmosphere on Sunday at Kent. Unfortunately the team will not be playing in the new kit this weekend, but we look forward to its arrival shortly.”

Play commences at 1.45pm and tickets are available on the gate. The cost is £25 for adults and £10 for juniors.