Match Preview: Kent Spitfires vs. Sussex Sharks

Thursday 15th August 2019

Men’s First Team

Vitality Blast

Match Preview: Kent Spitfires vs. Sussex Sharks

The 168th Canterbury Cricket Week starts in style on Friday when Kent Spitfires welcome Sussex Sharks to The Spitfire Ground, St. Lawrence.

Mohammad Nabi will make his last appearance for the Kent Spitfires this season in a Friday night Vitality Blast crunch match against the current group leaders.

In his nine games to date, Nabi has taken eight wickets at an economy rate of just 7.22, and also scoring 147 with the bat at a strike rate of 153.12, most infamously with a devastating innings against Surrey at The Oval earlier in the tournament.

Kent go into this fixture on the back of a frustrating washout with Glamorgan on Wednesday, and now sit in third place of the Vitality Blast South Group, three points ahead of Somerset in fifth, who have a game in hand on the Spitfires.

With four matches left for the Spitfires in the group stages of the tournament, every game is now a “must-win” for the Canterbury-based side as the top four sides go into the quarter finals.

The Spitfires are unbeaten at home in this year’s Blast, with wins against Somerset and Essex Eagles in Canterbury and against Hampshire at The County Ground, Beckenham.

Alex Blake and Mohammad Nabi are now tied for first place in the Spitfires’ six hitting charts in this tournament with 11 apiece, with Daniel Bell-Drummond now top of the run-scoring charts with 241 so far.

Hardus Viljoen is still in first place in the tournament’s wicket-taking table with 17 from nine matches at 14.29.

Things you need to know

Live streaming

  • We will NOT be live streaming home Vitality Blast fixtures this season
  • The live streaming of away matches is subject to broadcasting rights and the discretion of the host county

Getting here

  • The Spitfire Ground, St. Lawrence in Canterbury enjoys good travel links with London and the rest of Kent
  • Full travel information can be found here
  • Gates open at 17:00 – two hours before the start of play
  • Both the Main Gate on Old Dover Road and the Nackington Road gate will be open but please allow plenty of time for entry
  • ALL bags will be searched on arrival – save time by leaving bags at home and leave plenty of time to get into the ground before start of play
  • NO alcohol will be allowed into the ground

Parking

  • There will be no public pay-on-the-gate or life member on-site parking (excluding pre-paid parking pass holders & blue badge holders)
  • Parking is now available at Simon Langton Girls’ School and will cost £10 on the day (free for life members). This cannot be booked in advance
  • On-site parking for blue badge holders costs £15 for the day and cannot be booked in advance
  • We highly recommend use of the New Dover Road Park & Ride – CT1 3EL (£3.50 per day) – More information here
  • Additional Park & Ride services will run to and from the ground to fulfil demand before and after the match

Tickets

  • We recommend that supporters pre-buy tickets to guarantee entry and to save £5 on the gate price
    • Our last Vitality Blast match at The Spitfire Ground, St. Lawrence against Essex Eagles completely sold out and tickets were not available on the gate
  • This fixture counts as one day in the Six Pack package

Match enhancement

  • Our friendly mascots Victa and Victoria will be in attendance
  • There will be a post-match player autograph session by the barrier outside The Lime Tree Café
  • An action photobooth provided by Photo Team – see yourself as a member of the Kent Spitfires squad!
  • Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment cadets will be in attendance running activities
  • CAMRA marquee
  • The evening will be hosted by presenters from KMFM
  • No ball games are permitted near parked vehicles in the ground but access to the 3G football pitch inside the Kent Cricket Academy is available for use (no food is to be taken on)

Food & Drink

  • Spectators are NOT permitted to bring ANY alcohol into the ground
  • Food and sealed soft drinks are allowed

Concessions

We are delighted to offer a new variety of food concessions for the 2019 Vitality Blast season, with a wide range of selections, including vegan, vegetarian and options for children:

  • Ice Cream van
  • Coffee & Cake
  • Naughty Egg
  • A Taste of Thailand
  • That’s Amore Pizza
  • Taco Bill
  • RAD Burger
  • Raclette Melt
  • Public bars in the Cornwallis Room (first floor of Colin Cowdrey Stand) and Les Ames Stand
  • Beer marquee

The club operates a Challenge 25 policy at all bars serving alcohol at The Spitfire Ground, St. Lawrence. If you’re lucky enough to look under 25 years of age, please bring photo ID with you if you’re purchasing alcohol inside the ground.

Toilets

Toilet facilities are located around the ground:

  • Behind the Big Screen
  • Behind the Leslie Ames Stand
  • Behind the Frank Woolley Stand
  • Behind the Underwood & Knott Stand
  • Leslie Ames Bar
  • Cornwallis Bar (First floor of the Colin Cowdrey Stand)
  • Disabled toilets in the Leslie Ames entrance area and behind the Woolley Stand

Shop

The Kent Cricket Shop is located next to the Frank Woolley Stand and in the side of the Colin Cowdrey Stand and sells a variety of Kent Cricket merchandise, including:

  • Kent Cricket replica shirts
  • Kent Cricket branded clothing and accessories
  • Kent Cricket memorabilia
  • Cricket equipment
  • Hockey equipment

Cash machine

  • All bars support contactless card payments but if you require cash, there is a cash machine situated at the Sainsbury’s Local outside the main entrance to the ground

Weather

  • Sadly cricket matches are sometimes adversely affected by rain and play can be stopped
  • View the club’s Wet Weather Policy here
  • If tonight’s match is rained off, we will be offering ticket exhcanges for a Vtiality Blast NEXT SEASON as well as our final two home matches

Purchase your Canterbury Cricket Week tickets now to avoid disappointment >>>