Match Preview: Kent vs. Essex
The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence will get its first taste of cricket for the 2023 season as Kent welcome Essex for a three-day friendly beginning on 29 March.
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With the LV= Insurance County Championship beginning for Kent at The Spitfire Ground on Thursday 6 April, the team have two friendly matches scheduled in as preparation.
After a washout at Merchant Taylors’ last week against Middlesex, this will be Kent’s final warm-up match ahead of the start of the Championship.
Spectators are welcome for this match, with free entry & no ticket needed. The Kent Cricket Shop will be open for this fixture stocking the latest in Kent Cricket merchandise, & orders are now being taken for our new 2023 Kent Spitfires T20 shirt.
2023 tickets now on sale
Tickets for all matches at Kent Cricket in the 2023 season, including the Vitality Blast, One-Day Cup & LV= Insurance County Championship are on sale now:
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Kent Spitfires’ T20 opener for 2023 is against Gloucestershire at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence in Canterbury on Wednesday 24 May – entry to all scheduled T20 home matches is included in Kent Cricket Memberships, on sale now.
Members do not need to pre-book their space at T20 matches as per last season – entry will be gained by scanning a valid 2023 Kent Cricket Membership card at the gate.
Weather forecast
Follow Kent Cricket on Twitter to receive live updates on prospects of play.
Opposition Report
Tom Westley’s Essex side come to Canterbury fresh from announcing Australia’s Will Sutherland as their early season overseas player, although the all-rounder will not take part in this fixture.
South Africa off-spinner Simon Harmer is expected to be available for this match, alongside Essex’s Men’s Player of the Year last season, Shane Snater & the majority of the side’s County Championship squad.
Live Streaming
A Live Stream without commentary will be tested for this fixture & a live scorecard will be embedded into the Match Centre on the Kent Cricket website.
Team News
Both Sam Billings & Jordan Cox have arrived back in the UK following their Pakistan Super League win last weekend, & will be available to play in this match.
All players without injuries are available to be selected in this fixture.
The majority of Kent’s squad have been in action overseas this Winter. 2022 Men’s Player of the Year Ben Compton continued his rich form playing first-class cricket in Zimbabwe this Winter, with Hamid Qadri also playing in that tournament. Other Kent stars have been playing at various levels of cricket across the Southern Hemisphere.
Over the Winter, the Club has announced contract extensions for Joe Denly, Tawanda Muyeye, Hamid Qadri, Nathan Gilchrist & opening batter Compton.
New signing Michael Hogan arrived back in the UK from Australia on Friday & is included in Kent’s 12-strong squad for this fixture.
New father George Linde is now expected back at the Club next month. India international seamer Arshdeep Singh will begin his time as a Kent player from June.
Former Warwickshire seamer Ryan Sidebottom has been training with the Club this pre-season and will take part in this match as a trialist.
Last Time Out in the County Championship
On the day after they secured Division One status for another season, Kent thrashed Somerset by an innings and 151 runs the LV= Insurance County Championship at Canterbury.
View full scorecard
Hamid Qadri hit a career-high 87 as Kent made 492 in their first innings, a lead of 290. Although Kasey Aldridge recorded his best first class figures of six for 110, it was a day of pain for Somerset.
Runs flew off the bat during the first hour, but when it was the visitors turn to bat they collapsed to 139 all out, Matt Quinn taking three for 14 and Nathan Gilchrist, Daniel Bell-Drummond and Qadri all taking two wickets apiece.
The result meant Kent leapfrogged Somerset in the final standings and finished as high as fifth, having been dogged by the fear of relegation for the second half of the season.
