Kent Spitfires v Essex Eagles (Sun, 3pm)
Saturday 8th July 2017
New Zealand duo Adam Milne and Jimmy Neesham are set to make their home debuts for Kent Spitfires at The County Ground, Beckenham on Sunday (9 July, 3pm).
Darren Stevens is cleared to play after suffering concussion last week and there is also a place for all-rounder Adam Ball.
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Academy graduate Zak Crawley is also included after scoring a T20 century for the Second XI at Polo Farm on Monday and Northeast has two spin options with Imran Qayyum and James Tredwell in the 14-man squad.
Head coach Matt Walker said: “We’re all looking forward to playing in front of big crowds and a great atmosphere.
“It’ll be a tough start as Essex are always a good side and they are flying high this year but it’s a good opportunity to test ourselves.
“If we can get off to a flyer in this competition with the side we’ve got, I’m expecting some pretty good things.
“Jimmy and Adam can be very important – they are fine players with international experience and multi-dimensional cricketers.
“Jimmy gives us great balance with his batting and he can bowl four overs too added to the pace and penetration of Adam upfront and at the death to complement the bowlers we have already.
“Having Sam Billings back is like a new signing as we’ve not seen much of him and if we play to our potential we could do something pretty special this year.”
Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal is in line for his Essex debut as the second overseas signing following the arrival of Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir.
The fixture is the second of at least three matches between the counties to decide the destiny of the Mike Denness Shield, contested in honour of the former Kent and Essex batsman.
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Kent Spitfires squad: 17 Sam Northeast (c), 23 Daniel Bell-Drummond, 6 Joe Denly, 7 Sam Billings (wk), 10 Alex Blake, 16 Zak Crawley, 3 Darren Stevens, 83 Jimmy Neesham, 24 Adam Ball, 26 Matt Coles, 20 Adam Milne, 15 James Tredwell, 11 Imran Qayyum, 8 Mitch Claydon.
Essex Eagles squad: 6 Varun Chopra, Tamim Iqbal, 21 Tom Westley, 25 Ravi Bopara, 27 Ryan ten Doeschate (c), 99 Ashar Zaidi, 7 James Foster (wk), 22 Paul Walter, 11 Simon Harmer, 5 Mohammad Amir, 44 Jamie Porter, 28 Dan Lawrence, 31 Adam Wheater, 67 Callum Taylor, 30 Matt Dixon.