Venues announced for home group matches in the FP t20

Kent County Cricket Club has today announced the venues for its eight home group matches in the Friends Provident t20. Once again the club is looking to spread the word of Twenty20 cricket with three venues away from Canterbury“s St Lawrence Ground.

Tunbridge Wells comes first with a local derby against Sussex Sharks launching the 2010 t20 campaign. After a record crowd at the Nevill Ground last season, the club is confident that this year“s game against the Sharks will generate another bumper gathering. There are two fixtures at Beckenham, including another local derby against Surrey Brown Caps. Four matches will be played at the St Lawrence Ground and Kent will play a one off ‘home“ match at Surrey“s Brit Oval. The Kent Spitfires play their old rivals, Essex Eagles, on Friday, 9 July at the iconic south east London Test match venue, scene of England“s Ashes triumph over Australia in the epic 2009 battle.

The county believes the combination of top class cricket and top class entertainment will help generate some tremendous crowds. There is also great excitement as we play a ‘home“ match at one of the capital’s finest sporting venues. From 2010 all full members of the club will get free access to Twenty20 fixtures; ticket details for non members will follow in due course. The club will also announce full logistical details for the Brit Oval fixture in the New Year.

Commenting on the news, Kent“s acting chief executive officer, Jamie Clifford, said: "I think we have a wonderful spread of fixtures for 2010; we saw this year how popular Twenty20 was away from Canterbury. We are particularly delighted to be working with the Brit Oval to stage a match. It offers a great opportunity for us to maximise our Twenty20 revenues with lots of home fixtures in such a short period of time. We want to spread the Kent cricket message far and wide, and the match at the Brit Oval, along with our other venues for matches in 2010, gives us that opportunity.”

Kent captain Rob Key added: “I“m delighted that we are playing around the county again and the match at the Brit Oval is exciting for us all because matches there always generate such huge crowds. I“m sure it will be a great occasion and I think the club is right to try it. The players and I are all backing the initiative.”

The full list, with venues, is as follows:

Wednesday 9 June – Kent Spitfires v Sussex Sharks, Tunbridge Wells
Friday 11 June – Kent Spitfires v Middlesex Panthers, Canterbury
Sunday 20 June – Kent Spitfires v Somerset Sabres, Beckenham
Wednesday 23 June – Kent Spitfires v Surrey Brown Caps, Beckenham
Friday 2 July – Kent Spitfires v Hampshire Hawks, Canterbury
Sunday 4 July – Kent Spitfires v Gloucestershire Gladiators, Canterbury
Friday 9 July – Kent Spitfires v Essex Eagles, The Brit Oval
Sunday 11 July – Kent Spitfires v Glamorgan Dragons, Canterbury