Match Preview: Kent vs. Northamptonshire
The curtain raises on the 2023 season with Kent welcoming Northamptonshire to The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence for their LV= Insurance County Championship clash in Division One.
Buy tickets now [Pay what you can on Day Two]
This will be the first time that Kent have opened their season at a home venue since the 2017 season.
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 2023 Kent Cricket Annual will be on sale at the Kent Cricket Shop during this match.
Pay what you can for Day Two
With the 2023 cricket season set to begin next week, Kent Cricket has confirmed an exciting ticket offer to give the Kent community an opportunity to see their cricket team in County Championship action during the upcoming Bank Holiday weekend.
Buy tickets now
Titled ‘Pay what you can’, supporters will be able to purchase tickets for as little as £1 for the Good Friday Bank Holiday, 7 April when Kent face Northamptonshire on Day Two of their LV= Insurance County Championship match at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence in Canterbury.
Whether you are a keen follower of cricket or never been to a cricket match before & are looking for something to do with the family over the Bank Holiday weekend, everyone is welcome.
The Kent Cricket Community Team will be running cricket activities inside the ground, free of charge, for all juniors (children under the age of 14). Booking is not required, and activities will run from 11:30-14:30.
Members’ Forum
A Members’ Forum will take place on Day One (Thursday 6 April) during the Lunch Break inside the Ames-Levett Indoor School, with Club Chair Simon Philip, CEO Simon Storey & Director of Cricket Paul Downton on the panel.
Live Match Centre
Kent vs. Northamptonshire will be live streamed & embedded into the Match Centre on the Kent Cricket website. BBC Radio commentary will be synced to pictures coming via Kent Cricket.
View Match Centre
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:
Buy tickets now
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.
Opposition Report
Last year’s fixture at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence saw Northamptonshire pick up the victory points on offer after an impressive 151-run partnership from for Spitfire Jimmy Neesham and South Africa’s Ryan Rickleton helped guide the team to victory.
In Kent’s away fixture to The County Ground earlier in 2022, Matt Walker’s side were more successful; posting 519 and 170 respectively as the match finished a draw.
Northamptonshire have recently returned from a pre-season program in South Africa where friendlies against Warwickshire and the Netherlands prepared the squad for the first game of the season.
Batter Emilio Gay is out of action with a knee injury and will miss the start of the 2023 season. Hassan Azad has signed for the Wantage Road-based side on a short-term deal as a replacement. Azad has made 52 first-class appearances with an average of 36 with the bat.
After beating Oxford UCCE by an innings and seven runs at The County Ground on Saturday, Northamptonshire will look to carry this momentum into Thursday’s proceedings.
Team News
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 during the off-season.
Club Captain Sam Billings will lead the side after returning from a victory in the Pakistan Super League with Lahore Qalandars. Jordan Cox was involved in the Qalandars’ wider squad after winning the first SA20 with Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
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 in the UK from Australia last Friday. 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.
Men’s Head Coach Matt Walker has named a starting squad of 11 for the first match of the season, which includes six of the 11 players that won convincingly against Somerset last time out in the Championship. Not involved in that match were a now fit-again Compton, a returning Captain in Billings & new signing Hogan.
Nathan Gilchrist misses out through injury, & is currently being assessed by the Club’s physiotherapists.
Kent’s Match Squad, presented by Black Opal Travel Group >>>
Kent’s Match Squad vs. Northamptonshire: Sam Billings (Captain), Daniel Bell-Drummond, Ben Compton, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Joe Denly, Joey Evison, Michael Hogan, Jack Leaning, Matt Quinn, Grant Stewart
Weather forecast
Follow Kent Cricket on Twitter to receive live updates on prospects of play should there be any delays.
Match Previews of Kent’s LV= Insurance County Championship fixtures are proudly sponsored by FGS Plant Ltd. >>>
