Coles striving to reach 100-wicket mark

Matt Coles has his sights set on celebrating his 100th wicket of the season in Kent’s clash with Glamorgan at Cardiff this week, writes Alex Hoad. Four wickets in last week’s draw at home to champions Lancashire took Coles to 61 scalps in 12 matches in LV= County Championship, Division 2 with a further 16 in eight Royal London One-Day Cup appearances and 17 in 13 Nat-West T20 Blast games. Coles (pictured) said: “Hopefully getting to 100 is something i can do in this game. i have been aware for the past three or four weeks that i was getting there, since i got to 75 or 80. “Last week was a bit of a struggle but i managed to hang in there and i’m on 94 now – hopefully i’ll be able to get four big days of bowling across these last two games and we can finish on a high and make the 100.” The 25-year-old, a former England Lions player, has been a picture of consistency this season after returning from an 18-month stint at Hampshire – a spell which he says was the foundation of his success ‘back home’ this summer. He admitted: “The year away at Hampshire has probably been the best thing for my career. i learned a lot about my game and playing on a flat pitch like that you have to develop your skills to pick up wickets. “i’ve come back home and managed to use those skills on the slope at Canterbury and it’s gone well. it’s nice to be here and settled enjoying some success – it would be nice to show a bit more what i can do with the bat, though.” Coles made a show-stopping century batting at No.9 in the One-Day Cup quarter-final loss at Surrey but averaged just 15 in four-day cricket this term and he admitted: “i’ve not shown what i can do so it was nice to do that, it’s just a shame it wasn’t enough, having been so close. “i’ve got a Championship hundred but that was a few years ago now and it’s time for me to score a few more runs and get that average up.”