Willis previews Middlesex FPT tie

COACH Simon Willis says the players will go into tomorrow“s Friends Provident Trophy tie with Middlesex in high spirits after their morale boosting win over Essex in the LV County Championship.

Kent showed superb fighting qualities in the second innings – with both bat and ball – to totally transform the game and earn their first four-day victory of the new season.

Now, Willis (pictured with Kent Physio Nimmo Reid) is looking forward to hopefully doing the same in Friends Provident Trophy: ‘We know it will be tough at Southgate because Middlesex are a dangerous side. They have some good players but then so do we. It has the makings of a good game. They narrowly beat us in the Twenty20 Final last season and matches between the two sides are generally pretty close.“

After a tough four-day game at Chelmsford, how are the players feeling going into the Middlesex game? ‘Naturally, there are some tired legs. It was a bonus for us that we batted for so long in the second innings. It allowed our bowlers to put their feet up and we will have some fresh legs for the game at Southgate.“

Key all-rounder Azhar Mahmood missed the Essex game through injury but there is every chance they he will feature tomorrow as Willis explains: ‘Azhar is in the 12 and there is a good chance that he will play. He is a great one-day talent so I“m pleased that he is back to fitness. We will rest Martin Saggers and Rob Joseph so Simon Cook and Rob Ferley come into the 12.“

The 12-man squad for the game at Southgate is as follows: Key (C), van Jaarsveld, Denly, Tredwell, G Jones (W), Stevens, Hockley, Azhar Mahmood, Parnell, Ferley, S Jones, Cook

Picture courtesy of Anthony Roberts of ARPICS