Pre-season predictions 2018
Thursday 12th April 2018
We asked Kent’s media for their predictions ahead of the 2018 Specsavers County Championship this weekend.
Matt Cole, BBC Radio Kent
Exciting signings both “upstairs” and on the pitch, added to the continued development of a serious talent in Zak Crawley could see Kent as serious contenders for promotion.
Whether they can compete with the big guns coming down from Division One, and neighbours Sussex, may depend on how well they bowl this summer. Top four?
Ben Watts, BBC Radio Kent
I think Kent will go better than last season. Middlesex and Warwickshire might be too strong coming down from Division One, so I’m going to say Kent will take third spot.
Keilan Webster, KMTV
A lot depends on how much influence Allan Donald has on Kent’s bowling attack.
I don’t think Kent will suffer significantly from Sam Northeast’s departure with the bat, but the challenge will be to regularly take 20 wickets.
Sussex under Gillespie’s guidance and Middlesex with Test match experience with bat and ball, are my picks to go up and Kent to finish fourth.
Will MacPherson, Evening Standard
Kent have shed players, but recruited well (Harry Podmore and Heino Kuhn are clever signings).
National media give their verdicts on Kent’s chances in four-day cricket…
Kent will be in the mix for promotion but will just miss out. Joe Denly has come of age. He was player of the season in 2017 and has had good experience over the winter in Australia and Pakistan. Kolpak signing Heino Kuhn bolsters the batting, and watch out for Zak Crawley — not talked about much but hugely talented.
The likeable Sam Billings takes over the captaincy from the former (once he returns from the IPL) while the South African Heino Kuhn arrives on a Kolpak deal to shore up the batting. Seamer Harry Podmore has also come in from Middlesex, with Matt Henry, a Kiwi quick, their overseas player for the first half of the season. Prediction: 7th
Sean Dickson is one to watch. The opener already boasts a brace of first-class triple centuries and a double hundred to boot. A popular and hugely determined member of the county’s top-order. Have lost big players in Sam Northeast and Matt Coles, but signings look strong. Backroom looks good, too, with Paul Downton the new director of cricket and Allan Donald as assistant coach.
Joe Denly, as vice captain, steps in for Sam Billings in the early weeks and the arrival of the South African batsman Heino Kuhn on a Kolpak deal and seamer Harry Podmore can suppress the feeling that Kent’s next promotion opportunity may be a while. Kent will hope that Grant Stewart, a burly Australian with an EU passport, will prove a capable substitute for the departed Matt Coles. Prediction: 8th
The outstanding form of Joe Denly – in Championship and T20 cricket – and emergence of Sean Dickson augur well, but Daniel Bell-Drummond needs to turn his huge potential into runs. Prediction: 6th
Middlesex and one from Warwickshire and Sussex will earn promotion from Division Two.
Matt Henry is an excellent addition to the bowling ranks while Joe Denly remains a big talent who is capable of scoring the runs Kent will require of him if they are to mount a promotion push.