Kent eye final spot

Cricket

but, here in this situation, we almost have to take it game-bygame because of the issues with workload and having to rotate. “We will have to rotate our bowlers around. There is no getting away from that.

“Our bowlers won’t play all four games.

“They are going to play two or three games, and we need to keep one eye on the T20 which is coming up at the end of the month.

“We also have got to make sure we have a bowling attack going into 2021.

“We will be looking to play our best team wherever we can, absolutely, but there is going to be an element of rotation.” Kent will be short on recognised batsmen for the start of their campaign with Zak Crawley and Joe Denly, along with skipper Sam Billings, all currently with England.

Heino Kuhn’s partner is also due to give birth but wicketkeeper batsman Ollie Robinson and Jordan Cox got valuable time in the middle in Kent’s practice match against Essex, with Robinson retiring not out after scoring a century and 19-year-old Cox hitting 52. Cook, who has been in interim charge of the side with head coach Matt Walker also with England, has backed 21-yearold Robinson to take on responsibility beyond his years. “If you look at the top six, essentially, we have six batters currently available for us. They are the six who are going to have to score those runs,” Cook said. “The opportunities are going to be there for them to establish themselves within this set up. “We all know we have got players coming back, so someone at some point will have to give way.

“The emphasis is there for you to get the runs.

“Ollie has done exactly what we asked him to do.

“Yes, it was in a warm-up game but 100 runs is 100 runs against Essex who are county champions.”

Sandwich Town continued their good start in the East Kent NHS Heroes League on Saturday.

They won their first T20 match against Folkestone before the second game was abandoned. The wickets were evenly shared out by Sandwich as Ashleigh Cox (3-17), Liam Evans (2-31) and Matthew

Van Poppel (2-16) restricted Folkestone to 111 all out. Sandwich got home with eight wickets to spare, led by Tom Chapman’s 55 not out.

Fellow Division 1 team St Lawrence & Highland Court beat Canterbury by eight wickets. Chasing Canterbury’s total of 164-6, openers Matt Hammond (76) and Will Hilton (65) both struck half-centuries. Their second T20 game was also abandoned.

In Division 2, a half-century from Charlie Walsh (53) helped to lead Walmer to 181-8 before Chestfield were all out for 108. In Division 3, Whitstable 2nds beat Broadstairs 2nds by 15 runs.

Opener Paul Gambrill topscored for Whitstable with 46 and, despite the best efforts of Tom Marshall (71 not out), Broadstairs could not get home.

St Lawrence 2nds claimed a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Chestfield 2nds. Despite Geraint Jones’ century, Ash lost to Littlebourne. Jones struck

102 to help Ash set their opponents 179 to win, a target Littlebourne reached in the final over.

Fast approaching their

40th anniversary at their new home, Street End played a twoday match involving members, past and present. Each side batted 45 overs which yielded more than 500 runs and, in an exciting finish, the Chairman’s XI beat a club team.

Matt Hopper, the chairman’s son, contributed 68 in a total of 261-8. When Street End replied, Matt Goldbacher hit 84 – the best of the day – Tom Stewart 66, Gransden got 35 and Bailey Kite got 20. At 196-2, Street

End were well-placed but, with George Maylam taking 4-44, five wickets fell cheaply and Kevin Hopper’s team won by five runs.

The chairman presented long service awards to two Street End members, John Marsh and Alan Bensted.

Leeds & Broomfield won a reduced Clubbie Cup clash by five runs against Tenterden. In a match which was restricted to 20 overs, Max Aitken (68) helped Leeds to reach 160-7. Tenterden opener Tom Richards (56) top scored but they fell just short. Dartford’s clash against Gravesend was abandoned. Bowling first, Dartford restricted Gravesend to 206 all out despite Usman Pervaiz scoring 102. Max Luckett took 5-24 for Dartford.

They raced to 92-1 in 12 overs before play was cut short, with opener John Smyth 49 not out.