Match Preview: Kent Spitfires vs. Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire are the latest visitors to The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence to take on Kent Spitfires in the Vitality Blast.
Kent made it two wins from two in their opening matches of this year’s competition with a 16-run victory over Middlesex yesterday evening.
Jordan Cox is currently Kent’s highest run-maker in the Blast so far with 87 from two matches, whilst Darren Stevens and Fred Klaassen both have five wickets apiece.
Kent’s Members and season ticket holders have secured entry via the Club’s Match Ticket Ballot.
Any remaining tickets, and tickets that our Members have returned to us after they can no longer attend, will be put on general sale until 14:30 on Sunday 13 June.
Click here to check for Kent Spitfires vs. Gloucestershire ticket availability >>>
We urge any Members that have booked Vitality Blast tickets and do not intend to use them to contact the Club as soon as possible, so that they may be made available to their fellow supporters.
Tickets will not be available on the gate.
Last time out
A brilliantly-measured partnership between Jordan Cox and Jack Leaning steered Kent Spitfires to a 16-run win over Middlesex in their Vitality Blast match at Canterbury.
The hosts were wobbling on 47 for four before Cox and Leaning both made 64, helping them recover to 178 for eight, despite a hat-trick for Chris Green, who took five for 32.
Luke Hollman countered with a high-class 51 off 33 balls, but the visitors lost wickets too frequently to seriously threaten the hosts and finished on 162 for eight.
Opposition Report
Gloucestershire will be hoping to bounce back from their first Vitality Blast defeat as they travel to Canterbury to take on Kent Spitfires.
Although Kent haven’t beaten Gloucestershire since 2016 in T20 competition, the visitors fell short against the Sussex Sharks in their latest outing.
Josh Shaw took a T20 career best 3/32 in ‘El Clasicoast’. He has taken the most wicket for Gloucestershire so far (5) at a strike rate of 7.2.
Glenn Phillips also put up his second 40+ score for the visitors in his second match. The New Zealander has scored the most runs for Gloucestershire so far.
Gloucestershire’s 14-man squad in full: Jack Taylor (Captain), Ian Cockbain, Chris Dent, Miles Hammond, George Hankins, Benny Howell, David Payne, Glenn Phillips, George Scott, Josh Shaw, Tom Smith, Matthew Taylor, Graeme van Buuren, Daniel Worrall.
Return of spectators
It’s our top priority to welcome you back to The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, and to do that safely, we all have a role to play.
Because COVID-19 remains a part of our lives for the time-being – everyone – including the players, officials, staff, stewards and Members – will need to adhere to COVID-protocols to make the return of spectators a successful, and hopefully a permanent one.
All the information you need to adhere to the Club’s COVID-protocols upon your return to watching the Kent Spitfires live can be found in the below Match Day Information Pack:
Following the announcement that surge testing for COVID-19 has been implemented in Canterbury, the Club has been advised the introduction of the new enhancing testing programme is a precautionary measure.
Whilst the numbers of infection are relatively small, they are enough to cause some concern, and the enhanced testing programme is designed to help health officials get better idea of what’s happening in the community with regards to transmission.
Public Health officials at Kent County Council are urging anyone living, working or studying in all CT1 postcodes and the CT2 7 postcode to take a PCR Test at one of the five new test sites.
The units will be located at the city’s three City Council-owned Park and Ride services, in New Dover Road, Wincheap and Sturry Road; and at Darwin College car park and Keynes College car park at the University of Kent.
Live Streaming
Kent Spitfires vs. Gloucestershire will be streamed via Kent Cricket’s Official YouTube channel, and embedded into the Match Centre on the Kent Cricket website.
Team News
After arriving into the UK, Qais Ahmad is in-line to make his Kent Spitfires debut tomorrow.
Fellow overseas signing Adam Milne is expected to join-up with the Spitfires for the visit of Somerset on 28 June.
Tim Groenewald (knee) and Heino Kuhn (calf) remain unavailable for this match.
Sam Billings and Zak Crawley are unavailable after having received call-ups for England’s Men’s Test squad to face New Zealand. Daniel Bell-Drummond will captain the side.
Kent’s full Matchday Squad, presented by Shepherd Neame >>>
Be in with a chance of winning Darren Stevens’ signed match-worn Vitality Blast shirt by buying any piece of Samurai Sportswear Kent Cricket merchandise online or in-store before 18 July.
Purchase your Samurai Sportswear Kent Cricket merchandise here >>>
Match Previews of Kent’s Vitality Blast fixtures are proudly sponsored by Shepherd Neame >>>
