Kentish Express Ashford & District
Plenty to think about
DJ Bell-Drummond not out ................. 84 SR Dickson lbw b Pattinson ................0 JL Denly lbw b Pattinson.....................0 SA Northeast c Mullaney b Pattinson...0 SW Billings b Fletcher .......................30 DI Stevens c Read b Fletcher ............10 WRS Gidman b Gurney ......................25 AP Rouse c Wessels b Mullaney ........22 MT Coles c Wessels b Mullaney ..........4 AP Milne b Mullaney ...........................0 ME Claydon b Ball ...............................0 Extras (lb3, nb2) .................................5
1-36, 2- 45, 3-52, 4-274, 5-326, 6-336, 7-345, 8-346, 9-366, 10-371
MT Coles 23-2-99-3, DI Stevens 20-7-46-1, AF Milne 23-3-77-1, ME Claydon 21-4- 68-1, WRS Gidman 10-1-48-2, JL Denly 7-1-19-1 DJ Bell-Drummond b Ball ...................6 SR Dickson c Mullaney b Gurney.......12 JL Denly c Read b Fletcher ...............19 SA Northeast c Read b Gurney ............5 SW Billings retired not out.................39 WRS Gidman b Mullaney ...................26 JJ Weatherley b Pattinson.................16 DI Stevens retired hurt ......................31 AP Rouse c Patel b Mullaney .............35 MT Coles c Read b Gurney ..................0 AF Milne c Read b Fletcher ...............51 ME Claydon not out .............................7 Extras (b4, lb3, w1, nb10) .................18 Matt Walker admits he has some decisions to make ahead of Kent’s opening game of the NatWest T20 Blast campaign on Sunday.
The Spitfires host Essex Eagles at Beckenham (3pm) and are expected to draft overseas paceman Adam Milne and all-rounder Jimmy Neesham into the side, while all-rounder Darren Stevens is available after missing this week’s Championship game after a concussion against Nottinghamshire the previous week and Sam Billings is back for the summer.
With white-ball ace Alex Blake also in the frame and teenage prospect Zak Crawley having cracked an unbeaten 109 from 65 balls in a 2nd XI win over Middlesex – a game in which Calum Haggett collected his second four-wicket haul in as many T20 matches, Walker has plenty of options.
He said: “There are some decisions to be made, that’s for sure.
“We are excited about the T20 competition and I think Jimmy might be the final piece in the jigsaw for us.
“He was someone we targeted right from the start and I’m glad we were able to get it done.
“He’s a multi-dimensional cricketer, bats, bowls and is a great fielder and he only adds to what is already an exciting squad, after the addition of Milne and the quality players we already have.”
He added: “We know what we are capable of in this format, we are capable of beating any team on our day, but it’s up to us to go out and do it in what is an extremely competitive South Group.
“It’s not just us that has two overseas players and a quality squad, every team will be sitting there thinking this could be there year – they are all dangerous sides.”
Zealand paceman Adam Milne hopes to have a big impact when the Kent Spitfires begin their NatWest T20 Blast campaign against Essex this weekend.
The 25-year-old is a regular in the Black Caps’ white-ball sides and is set to start alongside his international team-mate Jimmy Neesham when the Eagles head to Beckenham on Sunday (3pm).
He said: “I’m excited to be part of the Kent side. I’ll go out and do my best. I’m a fast bowler, I’ll be looking to bowl quick, be aggressive and hopefully take some wickets.”
Kent were indebted to the weather as they claimed a pink ball draw against the odds against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on Thursday night.
Despite conceding a first-innings deficit of 191 in their Specsavers County Championship Division 2 day-night match and then setting the hosts a target of 75 for victory, Kent were saved by heavy rain and Notts never got the chance to secure a victory.
Opener Daniel Bell-Drummond carried his bat for 84 in Kent’ s first innings of 180 while Kiwi Adam Milne marked his debut with a half-century in the second innings. Kent remain third in the table. Kent youngster Ollie Robinson has been selected for the England under-19 squad to play India this summer in four-day and one-day series.
The 18-year-old Sidcup-born wicketkeeper made his senior debut on Kent’s FGS Plant Tour to the West Indies earlier this year and could represent his country on his home ground on Wednesday, August 9.
England play India at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, as part of an extended festival with the Royal London Under-19 ODI preceded by a first class match between Kent and the West Indies (August 6-8) with NatWest T20 Blast matches on August 4 and 11.