FP t20: Match preview Glamorgan Dragons v Kent Spitfires

Glamorgan Dragons v Kent Spitfires
Friends Provident t20 – South Division
Friday, 16 July 2010. 6.30pm start
Swalec Stadium, Cardiff

The Kent Spitfires travel to Cardiff on Friday night to take on the Glamorgan Dragons in their penultimate FP t20 match of the season and, despite neither team being able to qualify for the quarter-finals, they both will be looking to go out on a high.

Kent sit second from bottom in the south division, with a game in hand on their opponents. The Welsh county sit a place above and, with mid-table respectability still available, there is still plenty to play for at the Swalec.

The two sides have endured difficult campaigns with the Dragons winning six games in comparison to the five successes of the Spitfires – one of them coming against Glamorgan at Canterbury last week when a fine all-round display secured a comprehensive win.

The visitors batted first and struggled throughout despite Jim Allenby and Mark Cosgrove putting on 48 for the first wicket. Once Allenby fell to Ashley Shaw for 17 Malinga Bandara took over to continue his fine home form. His figures of 3-15 soon reduced the Dragons to 62-4. In the end they struggled up to 126-6 with captain Jamie Dalrymple contributing a patient unbeaten knock of 33.

Kent lost opener James Hockley for a second ball duck in their reply but Joe Denly (pictured – who made 36) led the run-chase and, in the end, a fifth wicket stand of 43 between Azhar Mahmood (30*) and Geraint Jones (22*) saw the home side cruise to a six-wicket victory with five balls to spare as the St Lawrence faithful enjoyed their final t20 action of the summer.

Team director Paul Farbrace will select from an unchanged 13-man squad. Kent Spitfires: van Jaarsveld (C), Denly, Hockley, Jones (W), Stevens, Blake, Mahmood, Coles, Bandara, Cook, Shaw, Joseph, Goodman