Kent Cricket in Conversation: Bomber the Spitfire

In 2007, the Kent Spitfires were undeniably the best Twenty20 Cup side in the country.

The Club’s first Finals Day appearance in the Twenty20 Cup on 4th August that year is fondly remembered by Kent’s members and supporters as the Spitfires’ crowning moment at the top of the tree in T20 cricket in the ’00s.

That day, the Spitfires put Sussex Sharks and Gloucestershire Gladiators to the sword and Rob Key, surrounded by his triumphant teammates, lifted the trophy.

What can get lost from that great day, however, is another Kent victory.

Club mascot at the time, Bomber the Spitfire, fought off 17 other entrants from first-class counties to win the 2007 Finals Day Mascot Race, thus helping place Kent at the top of the tree in county cricket that day.

We spoke to Andy Bennett, who ran the race ‘as Bomber’ that day, to remember another great win for the Spitfires.

• You were originally a supervisor in the Ames-Levett Indoor School – how did it come about that you were going to be Bomber the Spitfire?

“The first game I attended as Bomber was actually the 2007 T20 Finals Day. I had no clue what to expect being Kent’s mascot.

“The only reason we did the Mascot Race was because it was the first time we had qualified [for Finals Day]. It was Jean Owens, who used to be in the Club’s Commercial team, who came up with the idea for us to enter that year.

“She came up with the costume design and asked if I’d run the race.”

• What was the costume like to wear?
  

“The suit was very light, which lots of people said gave us a bit of an edge in the mascot race.

“But it was extremely hot to wear and an absolute nightmare getting it in the car – it was so long!”

• You famously won that Mascot Race at the 2007 Twenty20 Cup Finals Day – were you confident of winning beforehand?

“I think people thought I’d win easily because of the costume and I heard beforehand a lot of people had bet on me to win with the bookies!

“I had no faith what so ever and was very nervous. Unfortunately I had to wait for a games to finish before the race so I had time to get ready and maybe even have a bit of Dutch Courage…”

• Do you think that performance in the Mascot Race helped spur the team to lifting the Twenty20 Cup that year?

“I haven’t got a clue to be honest –  but I definitely think it made the travelling Kent supporters and staff get behind the team more during matches that day.

“My favourite memory of being Bomber was winning that race and then running over to Simon Willis and Paul Farbrace as I crossed the line and the three of us going absolutely nuts.

“Then when I walked into the pub in Birmingham where I was staying with the costume, and the whole place started clapping!”

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