LV=CC: Hampshire v Kent match preview

Sunday 4th July 2010

Hampshire v Kent
LV= County Championship Division One
Monday 5 July – Thursday 8 July 2010
Rose Bowl, Southampton

Kent“s cricketers switch to four-day mode as they face a tough trip to the Rose Bowl today to take on bottom-placed Hampshire in the LV= County Championship, starting on Monday.

With both sides in and around the relegation zone points are at premium as Kent look to build on their FPt20 victory over the Gloucestershire Gladiators at the St Lawrence Ground on Sunday.

In their last outing in competition, Kent held title challengers Nottinghamshire to a creditable draw during the Tunbridge Wells festival week. A typically good batting deck meant wickets were hard to come by as the visitors racked up 462 in their firstinnings with captain Chris Read striking an unbeaten 112. Kent“s reply was even more impressive as Darren Stevens (197) and James Tredwell (115) put on 270 for the sixth wicket as Rob Key“s men recovered from 176-5 to post 570. Any chances of Kent forcing an unlikely final day victory were blunted by a stubborn Notts top order as an unbeaten 76 from Samit Patel helped them up to 210-3 as the two skippers shook hands on a draw with Kent taking away ten points.

Hampshire, like Kent, have only picked up one LV=CC win so far this season and their previous match also ended in a draw against Essex. South African Neil McKenzie made 83 to help the south coast side to 300 in their first innings. In reply former-Kent man Matt Walker fell one short of a century for Essex as 3-66 from seamer James Tomlinson helped Hampshire take a 16-run lead. Half-centuries from Jimmy Adams and captain Nic Pothas helped Hampshire push on their advantage as they set Essex 328 to win. However, rain dented their chances of pushing on for victory as despite reducing Essex to 99-6, a draw was called as Hampshire remain at the foot of division one.

Kent continue to be without England Lions duo Darren Stevens and James Tredwell but are boosted by the return of quick-bowler Robbie Joseph (pictured) who is in line to make his first LV=CC appearance of the season after recovering from a shoulder operation. Fit-again batsman James Hockley could also feature.

Kent: Key (C), Denly, Jones (W), van Jaarsveld, Northeast, Blake, Hockley, Bandara, Coles, Cook, Khan, Joseph, Goodman