Match Preview: Kent vs. Lancashire
Two home matches remain for Kent Men in the 2026 Rothesay County Championship, as they welcome Lancashire to the St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury from 15-18 September.
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Entry is INCLUDED in all 2026 Kent Memberships & Youth/Junior Season Tickets!
Please note: as this match is being played in September, timings have been brought forward by 30 minutes.
The curtain comes down on the 2026 season at the St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury as Kent Men take on Gloucestershire in the Rothesay County Championship.
Get your tickets now to save on on-the-day prices:
Get your tickets here
Entry is included in all Kent Memberships & Youth/Junior Season Tickets!
Matchday Information
Please note: as this match is being played in September, timings have been brought forward by 30 minutes.
Important matchday information for Members, Youth/Junior Season Ticket holders & those that have purchased matchday tickets can be accessed via the button below:
View Matchday Information
We strongly advise that all Members & spectators travelling to the ground make use of public transport.
The St Lawrence Ground is located approximately a mile from the historic Cathedral City Centre of Canterbury.
View the St Lawrence Ground guide
Matchday tours of the St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury
Learn about the history of the ground, visit parts that other spectators cannot always reach, and learn about the people, events – and trees – that have made our home so famous and well-loved since its first match in 1847.
Tours are conducted during the Lunch interval on the second day of home Rothesay County Championship fixtures.
Each tour will last approximately 40 minutes and our guides will be happy to answer any questions you might have at the end of the tour.
Tickets cost ÂŁ5 for adults (accompanied under 16s are free) and, with only 12 spaces available for each tour, these can sell out quickly.
We recommend that you purchase your ticket in advance from the Club’s online retail shop to avoid disappointment on the day:
Weather Watch
- Buy your tickets with confidence – should there be less than 16 overs are bowled per day, excluding when less than 16 overs are bowled in a day but a result is reached or on the final scheduled day of a match when at least one ball is bowled, ticketholders will be offered a ticket voucher of equivalent value of their ticket purchase.
- This will be valid for any home matchday in the remaining season of the affected matchday, as well as for any home matchday for the following season of the affected matchday
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Last Time Out
A magnificent spell of pace bowling by Ben Aitchison put a dent in Kent’s promotion challenge and took Derbyshire to a dramatic 181 run victory in the Rothesay County Championship match at Derby.
View video scorecard
Aitchison was irresistible as he took the first five wickets on the fourth morning at the OurCoop County Ground, finishing with figures of 5 for 44 to condemn Kent to a defeat that leaves them third in Division Two.
To their credit, Kent fought to the end through Chris Benjamin, 32 from 115 balls, and Ekansh Singh, 59 from 86, in a sixth wicket stand of 91 in 29 overs before Grant Stewart and Bertie Foreman displayed more defiance.
The pair faced 169 balls, adding 74, before Martin Andersson pinned Stewart lbw for 65 but Foreman took Kent tantalisingly close to safety only to be pinned lbw by Shoaib Bashir for 38 from 148 balls.
With only two overs left, Brett Randell had Hasan Mahmud caught behind off a short ball to shatter Kent’s hopes of pulling off what would have been a great escape.
Opposition Report
Previewed by Graham Hardcastle, ECB Reporters Network, supported by Rothesay
- Captain: Sir James Anderson
- Head coach: Steven Croft
- 2025 finish: 5th
- 2025 leading run-scorer: Luke Wells (1,074)
- 2025 leading wicket-taker: George Balderson (40)
Former captain Steven Croft has been appointed permanent head coach after an interim spell during the second half of 2025 and Sir James Anderson as Rothesay County Championship skipper. Ajeet Singh Dale and Paul Coughlin have arrived to bolster the fast-bowling stocks, with Australia A quick Mitch Perry signing an early-season overseas deal. Perry joins Victoria teammate Marcus Harris, the prolific batter who is halfway through a two-year overseas contract. Seamer Will Williams has gone to Gloucestershire.
The Red Rose start the Summer as favourites to win Division Two, and it’s no surprise. They struggled to get out of the blocks last season and, despite finishing well, had left themselves with too much to do. Keaton Jennings resigned as red-ball captain in May, while Dale Benkenstein left his role as head coach. Things look a lot more settled now, which should boost chances of a faster start.
New recruit Ajeet Singh Dale, from Gloucestershire, made two England Lions appearances in 2024 and 2025. He’s within four wickets of 100 in his Championship career. With significant pace and skill, and at the age of 25, he has every chance of breaking into the Test match plans if he can hit the ground running at Emirates Old Trafford.
Steven Croft, who has added ex-England quick Kabir Ali to his backroom staff as the new bowling coach, wants success across the board in 2026. He aims to convert an excellent record of reaching Vitality Blast Finals Days into silverware, for example. But he did recently admit one goal stands above the rest, saying: “We want to win the County Championship, and we can’t do that in Division Two. The main goal is promotion.”
Kent vs. Lancashire – first-class statistical history
The Club’s Honorary Statistician, Howard Milton, takes a look at the first-class history between Kent & Lancashire:
Find out more here
Live Match Centre
Kent vs. Lancashire will be live streamed via the Club’s official YouTube channel for free & embedded into the Match Centre on the Kent Cricket website.
View Match Centre
Sound & commentary will be provided by BBC Radio Kent.
Team News
Men’s Head Coach Adam Hollioake has named a squad of 15 to take on Lancashire at the St Lawrence Ground.
Matt Milnes returns to the squad after being rested for Kent’s last fixture away at Derbyshire, whilst Ben Dawkins & Jas Singh also return to the first-team matchday squad.
Hasan Mahmud has been recalled by the Bangladesh Cricket Board ahead of their busy Winter schedule, and is therefore not available for Kent’s final two fixtures of the season.
Fellow overseas bowlers Keith Dudgeon & Khaled Ahmed have both been selected. Khaled made his Kent debut away against Derbyshire, and took three wickets.
Off-spinning all-rounder Bertie Foreman signed a short-term contract until the end of the season earlier this month, and set a new first-class best score with the bat in his fourth career appearance, scoring 49 in as night watch in Kent’s first innings at Derby.
Chris Benjamin will once more take the gloves, with Harry Finch unavailable for selection following a recent irritation of an old injury.
Joey Evison has joined Sussex on loan for the remainder of the Summer ahead of his permanent move to Hove on 1 October.
Jaydn Denly remains out with an ankle injury, which is being managed by the Club’s Medical Team, and Corey Flintoff is continuing his recovery following a viral infection.
Mikey Cohen, Olly Curtiss & Matt Parkinson have not been selected.
Sam Billings & Fred Klaassen are on white-ball contracts, and are therefore not considered for selection in the County Championship.
Another white-ball contracted player, Joe Denly, played his final match for Kent on 31 July during the Metro Bank One Day Cup, before his retirement at the end of the season. Denly has been working with the squad in training as a batting mentor.
Kent’s Match Squad, presented by Tassells Solicitors >>>
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Club Memberships for the 2027 season are now available to purchase!
Whether you’re renewing your Membership for another season or joining for the first time, Club Membership remains the most cost-effective way to watch every scheduled day of home Kent Men’s & Women’s cricket in 2027.
Become a 2027 Club Member here
If you’re renewing your Membership for 2027, please log into your Kent Cricket ticketing account before renewing to access your special renewal price:
You can also purchase a Club Membership as a Gift for the Kent supporter in your life as we head towards the festive season:
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Club Membership has a host of benefits, including:
- Guaranteed entry to ALL scheduled home matches, even if they sell out
- Access to all Member areas
- Exclusive discounts & extra complimentary tickets for friends & family
- A 10% discount on additional tickets, Kent Cricket retail and at Kent Cricket bars
- Priority access to any home knockout match, should Kent qualify
- Priority access & discounted tickets to England Women vs. Bangladesh Women at the St Lawrence Ground in September 2027
- Voting rights & access to frequent Members’ Forums throughout the season
Additionally, you can add the following extras to your Membership at the point of purchase:
- A Friend Pass – giving you an extra pass to bring a friend or family member with you to each home matchday
- Parking Priority – access to any available Ground Parking at the St Lawrence Ground before it goes on general sale
Become a 2027 Club Member here
Information on other Annual Packages will be shared in the coming months before going on sale.
View 2027 Annual Package FAQs
