Match Preview: Middlesex vs. Kent
Kent’s Men’s squad of 2023 will get their first outing of the season against Middlesex for a three-day friendly at Merchant Taylors’ School from 21 – 23 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.
As well as this match at Merchant Taylors’, Kent will also face Essex at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence from 29 – 31 March, with free entry for all & no ticket needed. Spectators are also welcome at this fixture in Hertfordshire.
With inclement weather forecast, there will be no concrete start times for each day of this fixture, with Lunch scheduled for 12:00 & Tea at 15:00 every day.
Middlesex Cricket has announced that there will be no play at Merchant Taylors’ School before 13:00 on Day One due to the ground being wet and the ground staff battling with more rain falling.
Their statement goes on to say: “The ground staff have done an incredible job however, and whilst the morning session has already been called off, the plan, as it stands, is to play two 2-hour sessions [on Day One] on the Old Merchant Taylors’ Cricket Club pitch, which for those who know the ground, is the lower of the two main pitches.
“Please be aware, if you are planning on attending the game this week, as this is a pre-season match, spectator facilities are limited, and there will be no catering outlets serving food. Tea and Coffee can however be purchased at the ground.”
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.
Opposition Report
Middlesex will be skippered in red-ball cricket this season by Toby Roland-Jones, & will have been given a pre-season boost by announcements that batter Stevie Eskinazi & seamer Tom Helm have both committed their futures to the Club.
Live Streaming
A Live Stream without commentary will be provided by Middlesex Cricket & a live scorecard will also 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 at the weekend, & will be rested for 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 will arrive after 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.
Qadri is unavailable for this match with a calf injury that is improving through work on an Alter-G machine at St Lawrence Clinic.
James Logan sustained a hip flexor injury during pre-season training & is making progress with his rehabilitation.
Marcus O’Riordan is also unavailable.
Kent Cricket’s Playing Squad vs Middlesex: Daniel Bell-Drummond, Ben Compton, Zak Crawley, Joe Denly, Joey Evison, Harry Finch, Nathan Gilchrist, Jack Leaning, Tawanda Muyeye, Matt Quinn, Jas Singh, Grant Stewart
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.
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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.
