Match Preview: Kent Spitfires vs. Essex

Friday 18th August 2023

Men’s First Team

Metro Bank One Day Cup

Match Preview: Kent Spitfires vs. Essex

Kent Spitfires host Essex at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence in the Metro Bank One Day Cup – the latest chapter of the ‘Battle of the Bridge’.

Metro Bank One Day Cup tickets are just £1 for Under 15s this Summer Holidays!

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Matchday Information

Important matchday information for Members, Six Pack Ticket Bundle holders & those that have purchased matchday tickets can be accessed via the button below:

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We strongly advise that all Members & spectators travelling to the ground make use of public transport.

The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence is located approximately a mile from the historic Cathedral City Centre of Canterbury.

View The Spitfire Ground guide

The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence is a cashless venue. The Kent Cricket Shop, ticket sales, and food & beverage payments at all outlets are conducted without cash during matches.

FIFA Women’s World Cup Final

The Battle of the Bridge coincides with the Final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup between England & Spain, which kicks off at 11:00.

The Club can confirm that all TV screens around the ground, in Hospitality & Member areas, as well as in the public bars inside the Leslie Ames Stand & Cornwallis Room, will be showing the match live.

Sporadic score updates will also be provided at suitable pauses during the match, over the PA system.

Cricket activities

Learn from our Community Coaches & become a better Junior player!

Sessions are available for FREE to all junior spectators between 10:30-12:30, & 14:30-16:30, inside the Ames Levett Indoor Sports Centre.

Kent ACO

If you’ve ever wondered what it is like to have the best seat in the house, come and visit the Kent Association of Cricket Officials (ACO) stand at the ground on Sunday!

The Kent ACO supports clubs and leagues by training, developing and supporting umpires and scorers at all levels in the county.

They will be extended a very warm welcome to anyone who is interested in finding out more about umpiring or scoring matches in Kent throughout this match.

Buy tickets with confidence with Kent Cricket’s Wet Weather Policy

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Opposition Report

  • Captain: Tom Westley
  • Overseas player: Simon Harmer (South Africa)
  • 2022 finish: Sixth (Group B)
  • 2022 leading run scorer: Grant Roelofsen (355)
  • 2022 leading wicket taker: Shane Snater (14)

Key player: It may be an obvious thing to say but the availability of Simon Harmer again this year could shape Essex’s campaign. Not only with his mesmerising off-spin bowling, and on occasion some big hitting with the bat, but as an important uncle figure for the young players making baby steps in the first team.

Young Player to watch: Noah Thain – Josh Rymell, Robin Das, Jamal Richards and Luc Benkenstein have all benefited from exposure to the first-team environment in the One-Day Cup and turned in some eye-catching performances. Next cab off the rank could be 18-year-old Thain, who premiered his promise with 36 off 27 balls, including three sixes and a strike-rate of 133, against Ireland in May.

Last year’s One-Day Cup heralded a renaissance in Tom Westley’s form. Two centuries and two fifties in seven innings were the preface to a 2023 red-ball campaign in which the captain has already hit in excess of 900 runs. It is not only the youngsters who benefit from the 50-over competition.

Match Coverage

Kent Spitfires vs. Essex will be live streamed via YouTube with synced commentary, sitting inside the Match Centre of the Kent Cricket website:

View Match Centre

All of Kent Spitfires’ home & away matches during the Metro Bank One Day Cup will be live streamed for free on YouTube, with commentary embedded.

This week we are joined by the brilliant Jack Leaning!

Jack lifts the curtain on what it’s really like to play in – and win – a Blast Finals Day! Listen to hear how he has found captaining Kent, what special gesture coach ‘Walks’ did to give the players extra confidence going into the Finals Day, and THAT Ronald McDonald story!

There is so much more for you to enjoy in this week’s Kent Spitfires One Day Cup Podcast!

Listen to the Kent Spitfires One Day Cup Podcast now:

…or simply search ‘Kent Spitfires One Day Cup Podcast’ wherever you get your podcasts!

Team News

Simon Cook has named a squad of 13 for the Battle of the Bridge.

Joe Denly returns to captain the Spitfires in what could be his first 50-over appearance of the season, alongside nephew Jaydn.

Daniel Bell-Drummond has not been released by London Spirit to play in this match. Players are only eligible for release if their Hundred team has played at least two matches in The Hundred & the respective player has not been named in the starting XI for their Hundred team’s last two matches. Players also cannot play for their county on the same day as their Hundred franchise plays, & London Spirit play Welsh Fire today.

Joey Evison misses out through an abdonimal issue with Marcus O’Riordan also sidelined through injury. James Bazley is not included after picking up a slight hamstring injury last time out.

Ben Lister is unavailable for Kent after being called-up to New Zealand’s IT20 Tour of the UAE. As previously communicated, the Club only expected Lister to be available for very select Metro Bank One Day Cup matches, working around international commitments.

He will be available for Kent’s last three LV= Insurance County Championship matches in September.

Kent Spitfires’ Matchday Squad, presented by WW Martin >>>

Kent Spitfires squad to face Essex: Joe Denly (Captain), Arafat Bhuiyan, Alex Blake, Ben Compton, Jaydn Denly, Harry Finch, Nathan Gilchrist, Hamid Qadri, Jack Leaning, Matt Parkinson, Matt Quinn, Jas Singh, Grant Stewart

The LV= Insurance County Championship comes to a head next month

We welcome Nottinghamshire to The Spitfire Ground in one of three first-class fixtures in September:

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Match Previews of Kent Spitfires’ one-day fixtures are proudly sponsored by WW Martin >>>