Zak hoping to continue making mark

PROMISING YOUNG BATSMAN LOOKING TO BUILD ON EXCELLENT START IN ANTIGUA TOURNAMENT Kent cricket

Kent Cricket’s opening batsman Zak Crawley is hoping to stake a claim for a place in the side when the season starts in April.

Crawley, who turned 20 last week, hit his maiden one-day half-century in Kent’s opening match of the Super50 regional series tournament in Antigua.

He scored 60 off 73 balls as they were beaten by Guyana and was then left stranded on 99 not out in their ninewicket win against Leeward Islands Hurricanes on Tuesday.

Speaking after the Guyana match, Crawley said: “It’s great preparation for the season and if I can manage to get a few scores, then hopefully I can get a bit of confidence into the early season.

“It’s important for me to get my head down on this trip and make a claim to play in the summer.”

Kent had restricted Guyana to 233 thanks to a career best 5-31 from seamer Mitch Claydon.

They then suffered a middle-order collapse after Crawley had scored 60 as they lost by 35-runs.

Crawley said: “I thought I had a good chance to take my time and build a score and I was not particularly nervous and it was a bit easier chasing down a total.

“I was just thinking we had to get off to a good start and thinking about the team.

“I find it easier to start my innings against pace especially on the wickets out here than starting against spinners, which means it’s better to open.

“It was gutting to lose the game from the position we were in and all of us who got in, especially me, hold some responsibility for that.

“It was difficult to start in those middle overs against the spinners. Hopefully, I can learn and try and go on next time.”

Allan Donald has been working with the squad in Antigua after joining the club as an assistant coach for the 2018 season. Crawley is enjoying working with Donald and believes he has already had a positive impact with the squad.

He added: “He has brought an intensity to the squad and demands a lot from us in the field.

“You can feel there is a different buzz around our fielding, which he is keen on.

“He’s had a good impact so far so hopefully we can build on that.”

Alex Blake hit 74 not out as Kent won their second group match against Jamaica by four wickets.

Ivan Thomas (4-30) and Joe Denly ( 4-35) both took career-bests as Jamaica were bowled out for 156 and the runs were chased down with more than six overs to spare. Kent bowled out the Leeward Islands Hurricanes for 183 thanks to three wickets each for Will Gidman and Thomas.

Crawley and Sean Dickson (44 not out) then shared an unbeaten 106-run stand to see Kent home with nine wickets to spare.

That win puts Kent third Group B with five games left play.

They face the USA in their next match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua today (Thursday).

The group campaign continues against Guyana on Saturday before Kent take on Jamaica on Wednesday, February 14.

‘If I can manage to get a few scores, then hopefully I can get a bit of confidence’

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Picture: Ady Kerry Zak Crawley has already hit two halfcenturies in Antigua