Kent Spitfires Vs Middlesex Friday 11 June 2021 Match Starts at 19:00
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DIGITAL MATCH PROGRAMME Kent Spitfires vs Middlesex Friday 11 June 2021 Match starts at 19:00 VITALITY BLAST The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury www.kentcricket.co.uk PRINCIPAL PARTNERS ELITE PARTNERS WELCOME By Matt Walker Head Coach Good evening. I hope your friends and family Another special mention must go to Darren are staying safe and keeping well, and if Stevens. To have made his way back into our you’re joining us tonight, welcome back to T20 side and bowl so well is great to see. He’s The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence. I’d also like now the second man after James Tredwell to to welcome the players and support staff of take over 100 wickets for Kent in T20s, and I Middlesex to Canterbury. know that he’s hungry to keep performing in this format. Wednesday night was a fantastic way to get our Vitality Blast campaign up and running. Middlesex represent another huge test for us We had three batters play important innings as matches come thick and fast – they have in the match, career-best bowling figures some big hitters in their side, and particularly for Freddie Klaassen, and some absolutely the addition of Chris Green makes them a outstanding efforts in the field. The squad difficult side to face. excelled in the main three disciplines of T20 and I was so proud of the lads. The players really appreciated the fantastic support and atmosphere on Wednesday night, I’d also like to congratulate James Logan for and if you’re with us tonight, we’d love to feel taking a wicket on his career T20 debut. He that same energy from our supporters. has earnt his short-term deal with us after impressing for our Second XI against strong Enjoy the match opposition, and he’s taking his chance with both hands. Walks MATCH ACTION LAST TIME OUT Kent Spitfires beat Hampshire Hawks by for one. Jordan Cox and Robinson put on 38 runs in their Vitality Blast match at 58 for the fifth wicket, before the former Canterbury. was caught on the boundary by James Fuller for 28 off Wood, with the first ball The Spitfires posted 176 for six, before of the final over. Robinson was bowled restricting the Hawks to 138 for nine with a with Wood’s next ball, leaving Stevens miserly display in the field. Fred Klaassen and Grant Stewart as the not out batters took four for 32 and Darren Stevens two on one and six respectively. for 22, claiming his 100th Blast wicket with his very first ball. Vince and D’Arcy Short put on 51 for the first wicket, but Stevens had Short caught Ollie Robinson anchored Kent’s innings behind for 29 before Cox took two brilliant with 48, after Joe Denly smashed 44 and catches. He snared Sam Northeast for six Daniel Bell-Drummond 42 to get the hosts at long off, to give James Logan a wicket off to a blistering start, but they were only four hours after he’d signed a deal hauled back as The Hawks’ Mason Crane with Kent, before making a stunning catch took three for 23, while Chris Wood two at mid-wicket to get rid of Vince, off for 42 and Lewis McManus claimed two Stevens. stumpings. Klaassen took a steepling catch off his James Vince made 34, but the Hawks fell own bowling to dismiss Dawson for 9, way behind the run rate, despite a battling then had James Fuller caught for one by 37 from Joe Weatherley. Blake at long on. After 10 overs without a After losing the toss, the Spitfires raced to boundary, Weatherley hit Matt Milnes for 67 for nought at the end of the powerplay, six through cow corner, but he was lbw before Bell-Drummond holed out to to Klaassen, who then had Ian Holland Crane and was caught by Vince. caught by Cox. When Denly was stumped off Liam Needing an impossible 48 off Grant Dawson in the next over, the scoring rate Stewart’s last over, the Hawks lost Chris slowed drastically. Crane took two wickets Wood for one and McManus for seven, in five balls, bowling Alex Blake for two both caught by Blake. and then getting Jack Leaning stumped Find us on social media @KentCricket LAST TIME OUT VITALITY BLAST THERE WERE PROPER CHEERS! From greedily eyeing over 200, Kent were restricted to 176-6 with Robinson (48) doing the hard yards. Was it a par score? Perhaps not. The third over of the reply from Klaassen went for 17 and doubts crept in, the crowd were engaged but nervous, then enter Darren Stevens. Hampshire looked poised at 51-0 at the end of the power play. First OK, so it wasn’t quite the Colosseum, ball and a wicket! “Stevo! Stevo!” rang but Kent’s first Vitality Blast match of round The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence. 2021 was another step towards hopefully The whole momentum of the match more normal times. There were cheers, began to change. That and some eager, happy faces and most importantly a win! sharp fielding meant Hampshire didn’t The first of the season, but also the first manage another boundary for nine overs. at Canterbury since Super Kent saw off The squeeze was on. Debutant Logan Essex by 22 runs on Friday 26th July snaffled Northeast in his second excellent 2019! It felt like a lifetime ago. over to general acclaim and from then on Kent bossed it. Fred Klaassen might have picked up the Spitfire Kent Player of the Match award Stevens picked up another wicket thanks for his four wickets but in truth it was a to a second super Cox catch and the true team performance. The fieldling was Hampshire wheels came off. Klaassen sublime at times, not just the catching, was the main beneficiary 4-32 and Stewart but the saving of runs, the athleticism and chipped in at the end to leave Hampshire determination. That has not always been on 138-9. A win for Kent by 38 runs. The Kent’s best feature, so it was great to see home crowd cheered the players off, a against Hampshire. special moment for both fans and players. Stevo had undoubtedly been the catalyst. Kent were put in by Hampshire, never a bad thing if you’re not sure about The one thing that surprised me was that the bowling attack. Racking up runs the game didn’t sell out. I guess public and creating scoreboard pressure with transport isn’t functioning with a full something to defend can often give less timetable yet (quite a few headed to the experienced bowlers some wiggle room. exits in case we were required to leave Denly and ‘DBD’ got off to a flyer, 86-0 block by block). Also, some will have off a blistering first seven overs (10x4 4x6) been put off by not being able to sit with included one six that had my name on it their mates or walk round the ground or at midwicket on the Old Dover Road side. mass in the Ames Stand lower balcony for Had I stood up in the back row rather a sing song. I get that but would say, yes, than ducked down it would have parted it is different, but even in its reduced form my hair! It would have been ironic if on with covid measures, it was still good for the day I got my second vaccine jab I had the soul. If you are nervous about even then felled by a six! One fellow fan asked modest crowds, I’d also add fans stuck to why I hadn’t tried to catch it, but I like by the rules, wore their masks when required fingers being intact thank you very much. and respected other supporters. Mason Crane with his “frog in a blender” action then struck and the game changed. Eddie Allcorn Find us on social media @KentCricket Find us on social media @KentCricket BRAND LOGO MAXIMUM CROP WIDTH @SPITFIREALE OP HEIGHT MINIMUM CROP HEIGHT MAXIMUM CR WORLD CLASS BEER. Made by Britain’s oldest brewer. MINIMUM CROP WIDTH SPECIFIC BEER LOGO SPECIFIC BEER LOGO SPECIFIC BEER LOGO MAXIMUM CROP WIDTH MAXIMUM CROP WIDTH MAXIMUM CROP WIDTH TROPICAL FRUIT & CITRUS AROMAS TOFFEE & SPICE AROMAS LIGHTLY HOPPED with a subtle bitterness Hoppy, bitter finish for a smooth, refreshing finish OP HEIGHT OP HEIGHT OP HEIGHT MINIMUM CROP HEIGHT MINIMUM CROP HEIGHT MINIMUM CROP HEIGHT MAXIMUM CR MAXIMUM CR MAXIMUM CR MINIMUM CROP WIDTH MINIMUM CROP WIDTH MINIMUM CROP WIDTH BRAND LOGO MAXIMUM CROP WIDTH @SPITFIREALE OP HEIGHT MINIMUM CROP HEIGHT MAXIMUM CR WORLD CLASS BEER. Made by Britain’s oldest brewer. MINIMUM CROP WIDTH SPECIFIC BEER LOGO SPECIFIC BEER LOGO SPECIFIC BEER LOGO MAXIMUM CROP WIDTH MAXIMUM CROP WIDTH MAXIMUM CROP WIDTH TROPICAL FRUIT & CITRUS AROMAS TOFFEE & SPICE AROMAS LIGHTLY HOPPED with a subtle bitterness Hoppy, bitter finish for a smooth, refreshing finish OP HEIGHT OP HEIGHT OP HEIGHT MINIMUM CROP HEIGHT MINIMUM CROP HEIGHT MINIMUM CROP HEIGHT MAXIMUM CR MAXIMUM CR MAXIMUM CR MINIMUM CROP WIDTH MINIMUM CROP WIDTH MINIMUM CROP WIDTH PLAYER INTERVIEW IN CONVERSATION WITH… IMRAN QAYYUM “Like every season we believe we can compete and have the ability required to win the competition. There’s plenty of young talent and experienced quality players in the squad to go all the way. “From last year, everyone is more experienced. I believe Kent have a great chance to go one step further and make it to that elusive Finals Day.” When asked who he feels is Kent’s most underrated answer, there was one name that came back straight away.