Match Preview: Somerset vs. Kent
Kent’s final away trip in the LV= Insurance County Championship this Summer is against Somerset at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.
Last time out, Kent made up four points on eighth-placed Middlesex – maximum bowling points and four batting points were gained against Nottinghamshire in a drawn match at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence.
Kent now have two victories and three Championship draws – Middlesex have three wins and two draws, but gained eight points instead of the usual five points for a draw against Northamptonshire earlier in the season with scores level. Kent have amassed 46 bonus points across the season, whereas Middlesex have 35.
As a reminder; 16 points are awarded for a victory, with both sides earning eight points for a tie and five points apiece if a match is drawn. Any points scored in the first innings is added on, five batting bonus points are available as well as three bowling points in each team’s first innings, before 110 overs are reached.
Two teams ‘stay up’ in Division One – Middlesex welcome Warwickshire to Lord’s in gameweek 13 before making the journey to Trent Bridge to face Nottinghamshire, whilst Kent have this away match against Somerset before a home season-ending contest against Lancashire.
Tenth-placed Northamptonshire face Surrey at the Kia Oval & Essex at The County Ground, Northampton to end their season.
Our final LV= Insurance County Championship match of this Summer is at home to Lancashire!
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Opposition Report
Somerset are currently sixth in Division One with three wins and five draws.
They boast Division One’s top run-scorer, 19-year-old ‘keeper-batter James Rew, who has 1,077 runs at an average of 59.83. Kent-born Tom Kohler-Cadmore has 667 runs at 35.10, and Tom Abell has 580 at 32.22.
All-rounder Lewis Gregory has 29 wickets with a bowling average of 21.48, Craig Overton has 26 at 30.30, and spinner Jack Leach 18 at 29.55.
Former Kent seamer, New Zealand’s Matt Henry, completed an overseas stint with Somerset in July.
Weather forecast
TAUNTON WEATHER
Follow Kent Cricket on Twitter to receive live updates on prospects of play should there be any delays.
Live Match Centre
Somerset vs. Kent will be live streamed & embedded into the Match Centre on the Kent Cricket website. BBC Radio commentary will be synced to pictures coming via Somerset CCC.
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Team News
New spin recruits in left-armer Aron Nijjar & India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal are both available for the Spitfires at a traditionally spin-friendly venue in Taunton.
Arafat Bhuiyan & Jas Singh, who both took wickets in their last first-class appearances away to Nottinghamshire, are added to the squad alongside Michael Hogan, who took his 25th career first-class five wicket haul last time out against the same opponent at The Spitfire Ground.
Marcus O’Riordan returns to the squad after recovering from a shoulder injury.
Ben Lister was originally scheduled to make his Kent debut in this match, but sustained a hamstring injury playing for New Zealand against England last week – he has flown back to New Zealand for further assessment and his time at Kent has been cut short.
Zak Crawley is captaining his country as England face Ireland in their Metro Bank ODI Series.
Jordan Cox (finger) & Hamid Qadri (calf) are both out for the season.
Kent’s Match Squad, presented by Black Opal Travel Group >>>
International T20 cricket is back at The Spitfire Ground after 12 years next Summer!
International T20 cricket will return to Canterbury on Thursday 11 July 2024 when The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence hosts the 3rd match in England’s IT20 series against New Zealand.
It is only the second time that Canterbury has hosted a Women’s International T20 match in its long history, and will be another boost for the continued growth of women’s cricket in Kent.
Registration for access to our ticket ballot is now open. Please complete the form below:
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The ballot will open from from Monday 18 September.
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Match Previews of Kent’s LV= Insurance County Championship fixtures are proudly sponsored by FGS Plant Ltd. >>>
