Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Youngster named in tour squad
Kent cricket
Kent Cricket Academy scholar Ollie Robinson is in Kent’s 17-man squad for the FGS Plant Tour to the West Indies.
The 18-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman will travel as cover for Adam Rouse with Sam Billings in India on England duty.
Kent fly out on Saturday to acclimatise before the Spitfires open the series against hosts Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Wednesday ( January 25) before facing reigning 11-time champions Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium four days later.
They will also face Windward Islands Volcanoes and West Indies Under-19s on January 31 and February 2 before a second round of games ending on February 12 ahead of semi-finals and a final on February 18.
Robinson scored 251 for Kent under- 17s against Sussex at Polo Farm last summer and has played six times for Kent’s 2nd XI.
He plays club cricket with Alex Blake at Beckenham and is currently studying for his A-levels.
He said: “I’m delighted to be on the trip. Going from training with the Academy to the first team is a big step and will be a good challenge.
“I went away with the Academy to Dubai last year which was a great experience and I put a lot of my success down to that trip. Kent squad: Adam Ball, Daniel Bell-drummond, Hugh Bernard, Alex Blake, Matt Coles, Sean Dickson, Will Gidman, Calum Haggett, Matt Hunn, Sam Northeast, Imran Qayyum, Adam Riley, Ollie Robinson, Adam Rouse, Darren Stevens, Ivan Thomas, James Tredwell.
Visit Canterbury’s logo will appear on the Samurai Sportswear training kit to promote the Canterbury district to overseas visitors during the tour.
The city council wants to use the tour to highlight the historic city’s attractions for visitors.
Chairman of Canterbury City Council’s Regeneration and Property Committee, Cllr Ben Fitter-harding said: “By showcasing Canterbury through cross- promotion with Kent Cricket, we hope to encourage more overnight stays in the area so visitors can truly enjoy all this district has to offer.
“Tourism is now worth an estimated £450million to the Canterbury district’s economy and supports 15% of all local jobs.
“These figures have grown over the last few years and we hope that, by working with Kent Cricket, we will see continued growth in years to come.”
Kent batsman Sean Dickson hit a century in his last match in club cricket before joining the tour.
The 25- year- old hit an unbeaten 101 for Pretoria High School Old Boys against Centurion Kavaliers in a 62-run T20 win.
Dickson won the President’s Cup for the most promising uncapped player at the Kent County Cricket Supporters Club’s annual lunch.
He enjoyed a breakthrough season with a doublehundred at Derby and 99 on his one-day debut at Lord’s.
Joe Denly is not going on the tour as he is in Australia until March but he smashed a double hundred for Sydney against Northern District in the New South Wales First Grade competition.