Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Cup finals to the finish
Head coach Jimmy Adams has told Kent players they face eight cup finals in three competitions before the end of the season.
The Spitfires have a slim chance of sneaking a quarterfinal place in Natwest T20 Blast, although they must win at Surrey on Friday (6.30pm) and hope that four other results featuring rival sides go their way on Thursday and Friday nights.
Kent’s hopes of a knockout game in the Royal London OneDay Cup rest on the outcome of their final two 50-over games, against Gloucestershire at Canterbury on Sunday (11am) and at Sussex on Tuesday (2pm).
While they have slipped off the pace in Specsavers County Championship Division 2, Kent remain just 13 points off leaders Essex with five games to play – the first of which is at home to Worcestershire from Wednesday – and Adams admitted: “It’s a good position to be in. There is a lot to be positive about.
“To get to the end of July and still in contention is a great achievement. We have played well enough to get to this point but now it’s up to us to start to grab games by the scruff of the neck and take the opportunities that come our way.”
He added: “If there’s still a mathematical chance in T20 on Friday, then we have to make sure we do our part which is to get the win – that’s all we can do.
“The 50-over games are massive, we know that, and in the Championship, we know there are other teams involved but we want to stay as close as we can to Essex.
“We have Essex at home in the last game of the season and we’d love to go into that with both sides still being in with a chance but to do that we need points between now and then.”
He added: “Every game is massive, literally every game between now and the end of the season, in all competitions. We have said to the players, every game is a cup final.”
Matt Coles claimed 6-56 on his return to Hampshire on Tuesday night and Adams said: “It’s great having him back – he has shown time and again that is a potential match-winner.
“It’s great for him that he’s back and ready to play and ended up having a massive impact on the game.”
Adams praised the contributions of Joe Denly and Daniel Bell-drummond, who returned in place of Sean Dickson despite his 99 in Sunday’s loss at Lord’s.
Adams said: “Sean batted brilliantly at Lord’s and deserved to reach threefigures. It won’t be long before he is established across all formats. It is tough on him but the Denly/bell-drummond partnership has been successful time and again this season. Joe has had a fantastic season and DBD – he’s pretty greedy and just keeps churning out the runs.”