Match Preview: Middlesex vs. Kent Spitfires
Kent Spitfires make the trip to Lord’s to face Middlesex in the penultimate South Group match of this season’s Vitality Blast.
Friday’s visitors will be without the squad that defeated Surrey in their last Vitality Blast match, with a full squad to be named in due course.
This will be the 31st time that Kent Spitfires and Middlesex have faced each other in T20 cricket – to date, Kent have won 13 matches, Middlesex 15, with one tie and one no result.
The first ever T20 meeting between these two sides at Lord’s came in 2006, when the Spitfires ran out as winners by 17 runs – Darren Stevens top-scoring with the bat with 69 from 43 opening the batting, and Min Patel ending the match with bowling figures of 4-26.
Last time out
Kent Spitfires restricted Surrey to just 128 for 7 before strolling to a nine-wicket victory at the Kia Oval and qualifying for the Vitality Blast Quarter Finals.
Daniel Bell-Drummond went on to a 37-ball 53 not out after he and Joe Denly (31) put on 64 in eight overs for the first wicket to set up a comfortable chase that ended with 4.3 overs to spare.
Ollie Robinson also struck a breezy unbeaten 45 from 30 balls and Kent have now won eight of their 12 group matches while Surrey look unlikely to qualify for a quarter-final place.
Opposition report
Middlesex currently sit in ninth position of the Vitality Blast South Group with two matches remaining, with three victories from 12 matches to date.
Friday’s hosts cannot now qualify for the knockout stages, but have announced the signing of Essex Eagles’ Varun Chopra for their final two Vitality Blast matches and for the Royal London Cup.
Stevie Eskinazi has batted in the most innings for Middlesex this season, and in his 11 matches, has top-scored for the county with 399 runs at an average of 44.33, including 102* against Essex Eagles in June.
However, they will be missing their top scorer, as he suffered a torn groin muscle this week when batting against Leicestershire in the LV= Insurance County Championship.
The hosts will welcome back ‘keeper-batter John Simpson and seamer Tom Helm from England duty.
Steven Finn is currently Middlesex’s top wicket taker with 16 in 11 matches, closely followed by young gun Blake Cullen (14) and leg-spinner Nathan Sowter (13).
Middlesex squad in full: Steven Finn (Captain), Martin Andersson, Joe Cracknell, Varun Chopra, Blake Cullen, Josh De Caires, Tom Helm, Max Holden, Luke Hollman, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Robson, John Simpson, Nathan Sowter, Mujeeb ur Rahman
Live Streaming
Middlesex vs. Kent Spitfires will be streamed and embedded into the Match Centre on the Kent Cricket website, with pictures coming courtesy of Middlesex Cricket.
The match starts at 18:15.
Team News
Kent will be without the squad that defeated Surrey in their last Vitality Blast match, as they continue their period of self-isolation.
Scotland internationals Calum MacLeod, Safyaan Sharif and George Munsey have all joined Kent for the Spitfires’ final two Vitality Blast group matches.
Zak Crawley will captain Kent for the first time in his career after returning from England duty, ably assisted by the Captain and Vice-Captain from Kent’s LV= Insurance County Championship match with Sussex this week, Heino Kuhn and Harry Podmore.
From the debutants in the match against Sussex in which Kent earned a draw on the final day, centurion Harry Finch, Joe Gordon and Dan Lincoln are all included in a Kent Spitfires squad for the first time.
Slow left-arm bowler Elliot Hooper, who plays his club cricket for Bickley Park and made his first-class debut for Sussex in 2019, is included in a Kent Men’s First XI squad for the first time. He has played in four of Kent Second XI’s T20s this season, including figures of 4-0-24-1 against Middlesex and 2-0-15-1 against Hampshire.
Matt Quinn and Hamid Qadri could also make their Kent Spitfires T20 debuts after also being included.
Kent Spitfires’ Matchday Squad, sponsored by Shepherd Neame >>>
NEXT HOME MATCH
Sussex Sharks are the visitors to The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence for Kent Spitfires’ final home match of the 2021 Vitality Blast South Group.
Click here to check for Kent Spitfires vs. Sussex Sharks ticket availability >>>
Be in with a chance of winning Darren Stevens’ signed match-worn Vitality Blast shirt by buying any piece of Samurai Sportswear Kent Cricket merchandise online or in-store before 18 July.
The lucky winner will be announced LIVE on Kent Spitfires’ Live Stream against Sussex Sharks on Friday 18 July.
Purchase your Samurai Sportswear Kent Cricket merchandise here >>>
Match Previews of Kent Spitfires’ Vitality Blast fixtures are proudly sponsored by Shepherd Neame >>>
