Match Preview: Middlesex Panthers v Kent Spitfires, FLt20 Sunday 7th July

Middlesex Panthers v Kent Spitfires
Friends Life t20
Sunday,7th July – 2.30pm start
Park Road, Uxbridge

After a dramatic last gasp defeat in the reverse fixture at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Kent will be gunning for revenge at Uxbridge on Sunday afternoon.

The team

Kent welcome Geraint Jones back into their 13-man team for the trip to Uxbridge: Tredwell (c), Key, Northeast, Billings, Stevens, Blake, Harmison, Riley, Claydon, Coles, Philander, Jones, Cowdrey.

Players to watch:

Captain James Tredwell and Adam Riley – his spin partner – both impressed with the ball in Friday night’s defeat to Essex at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence. The two off-break bowlers will hope to follow suit at Uxbridge as Kent look for their first win of this season’s competition.

Wicketkeeper Adam Rossington is the player to watch for the Panthers. He blasted 41 off 20 balls in the reverse fixture. Needing 11 off the last over, the 20 year-old gloveman hit a four and a six as Middlesex crossed the winning line with just two balls to spare.

The season so far:

The Kent Spitfires suffered their third straight Friends Life t20 defeat with a 47-run reverse against Essex Eagles on Friday night at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence – in-front of a bumper crowd of more than 5,000.

After being put into bat, t20 specialist Owais Shah led the way for Essex with a knock of 59 (from 38-ball) while Ryan ten Doeschate hit a quick-fire 31 as the Eagles scored 164 for six. Tredwell was the pick of the Kent bowlers with figures of 1-19 from his four overs.

Kent’s reply then got off to a bad start as Sam Northeast was dismissed first ball but Rob Key got himself in – with 26 – while Darren Stevens and Alex Blake both hit 19 but Essex took wickets at regular intervals to restrict Kent. Graham Napier and Reece Topley took three wickets apiece for the visitors.

Previous meetings:

Middlesex got the better of Kent earlier this season at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence but it was honours even last season between the two counties. At Canterbury in June, the Panthers recorded a 48-run win as Kent lost four wickets in four balls. Joe Denly, returning to the county of his birth, made an unbeaten 90 as the Panthers piled up 207 for two, but the Spitfires looked well placed to overhaul them on 120 for two – before their innings stuttered. Sam Northeast and Azhar Mahmood fell in consecutive Neil Dexter deliveries and the tail then disintegrated as Kent could only muster 159 for seven.

At Uxbridge in July, Kent then recorded a three-wicket win to end their Friends Life t20 campaign with a victory. Firstly Middlesex captain Neil Dexter held his side together, as the Panthers struggled to 124 for nine. Kent then struggled in reply before a fifth-wicket stand of 50, in seven overs, between Azhar Mahmood and Alex Blake helped see the team through to victory.