County Championship Preview
Tuesday’s match with Yorkshire sparks the beginning of eight consecutive Specsavers County Championship matches for Kent as they look to build upon a final-day with away at Warwickshire last month before the Royal London One-Day Cup.
Kent currently sit in fourth in Division One of the Specsavers County Championship after achieving promotion back to the top-flight for the first time in eight years last season.
A loss at Somerset (4 points) in a game that could’ve gone either way going into the final day and and a triumphant victory at Edgbaston against Warwickshire (maximum 24 points) leaves the home county twelve points above Nottinghamshire in the table.
Kent vs. Yorkshire (14th-17th May)
The first Division One fixture at The Spitfire Ground, St. Lawrence for nearly a decade also sees the return of Yorkshire to Kent in red-ball cricket for almost as long.
The White Rose county claimed an innings-and-44-run victory over Hampshire last time out in the County Championship with Gary Ballance scoring 148 in the first innings as Hampshire were asked to follow-on.
Kent go into this game looking for back-to-back victories to keep up with current leaders Somerset and it will be Matt Renshaw’s final appearance for Kent.
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Kent vs. Surrey (20th-23rd May)
County Championship cricket is back at The County Ground, Beckenham for this season as Kent’s oldest rivals, Surrey, make the short journey to BR3.
After a huge eight-wicket win over Surrey in the Royal London One-Day Cup this year, Kent are looking for two wins in two games against the South London side.
South African overseas signing Wiaan Mulder, who will replace Renshaw, is set to make his Kent debut in this fixture.
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Essex vs. Kent (27th-30th May)
Kent’s third away County Championship match of the season is the second ‘Battle of the Bridge’ this year.
After a six-wicket victory over Essex at Beckenham already this season with Zak Crawley hitting 94 and Daniel Bell-Drummond putting in a man-of-the-match performance of 120* with the bat and 2/36 with the ball, this fixture is set up to be another thrilling battle with Kent’s local rivals.
Kent vs. Somerset (10th-13th June)
Somerset travel to Canterbury in a repeat of the opening fixture of this year’s competition, where Somerset came out victorious by 74 runs on the final day.
Career-best first-class figures of 9/112 from Mitchell Claydon, including a five-fer in the first innings, and five wickets on debut for Matt Milnes, Kent were unable to secure the win on the last day of the match.
The home county will look to right that wrong in the return fixture at The Spitfire Ground, St. Lawrence
Tickets are available here >>>
Kent vs. Nottinghamshire (17th-20th June)
First-class cricket graces The Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells for the annual Tunbridge Wells Cricket Festival where Nottinghamshire make the trip to western Kent in mid-June.
Kent have won both of their last County Championship fixtures at ‘The Nevill’, with a 73-run victory over Warwickshire last season and a mammoth 147-run win over Sussex in 2017 where Joe Denly scored 119 in Kent’s first innings and Darren Stevens claiming a five-fer with the ball.
Tickets are available here >>>
Kent vs. Warwickshire (30th June-3rd July)
Warwickshire come to The Spitfire Ground hungry for a result after Kent claimed victory in the reverse fixture in Birmingham earlier this season.
Zak Crawley scored a century before a maiden first-class ton for Kent Academy graduate Ollie Robinson (143) put Kent in a very strong position and Warwickshire were unable to recover as Kent came out victorious on the final day with an eight-wicket win.
Tickets are available here >>>
Surrey vs. Kent (7th-10th July)
The trip to the Kia Oval for Kent in July will be an important one as Kent look to keep tabs on rivals Surrey in the County Championship.
Kent last played Surrey at the Kia Oval in this competition in 2015 where Surrey came out on top by six wickets, despite a partnership of 151 from future captain Sam Billings (99) and Calum Haggett (80).
Kumar Sangakkara did the damage as he scored 110 from 183.
Hampshire vs. Kent (13th-16th July)
The final County Championship fixture in this round of matches is an away fixture at the Ageas Bowl to play Hampshire.
Kent will look to secure victory before Hampshire make the trip to Canterbury for the last game of the season starting on 23rd September.