Match Preview: Essex vs. Kent

Less than a week against an extremely credible draw against a rival, Kent travel to Chelmsford to for another derby clash against Essex in the Specsavers County Championship.

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The travelling squad will be boosted by the draw against last season’s champions Surrey at The County Ground, Beckenham after batting for over a day and also by their victory over the home side in this tie in the Royal London One-Day Cup earlier this season by six wickets.

Daniel Bell-Drummond top scored for the Spitfires with 120* whilst also taking 2/36 with the ball. Zak Crawley also amassed 94 runs in the tie, with Matt Milnes taking 3/60 in his ten allotted overs.

Wiaan Mulder will look to build on his impressive debut in the County Championship with five wickets in the tie and also scoring 68 not out that steered Kent to obtaining the draw, batting for nearly two and a half hours in his second innings.

Joe Denly will skipper the side after returning from England duty and also recovering from an injury picked up during the Royal London One-Day Cup.

Sam Billings (shoulder), Calum Haggett (elbow), Grant Stewart (back) and Ivan Thomas (knee) are still sidelined in the rehabilitation phases from their respective injuries.

Kent squad in full

Joe Denly (Captain)

Daniel Bell-Drummond

Alex Blake

Mitchell Claydon

Zak Crawley

Sean Dickson

Heino Kuhn

Matt Milnes

Wiaan Mulder

Harry Podmore

Imran Qayyum

Ollie Robinson

Darren Stevens

Somerset visit The Spitfire Ground, St. Lawrence in a repeat of the hard-fought County Championship season opener that went down to the final day

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