Kent v Essex
LV= Insurance County Championship
The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury
Thursday 20 – Sunday 23 April
11am Start
Essex travel to local neighbours Kent on Thursday morning looking to continue the unbeaten start in the 2023 LV= Insurance County Championship.
A win against Middlesex and a draw against title favourites Lancashire sees Essex sitting in third place as Round 3 gets underway this week.
After an agonising defeat away at Warwickshire in Round 2, the hosts will be heading into the game with Essex aiming to get back to winning ways.
Squad:
There are two injury forced changes to the Essex 13-player squad with Sam Cook missing out due to a muscle tightness in his hamstring. Adam Rossington will also sit out the fixture after injuring his finger during the draw against Lancashire.
Kent squad:
Sam Billings (c)
Wes Agar
Daniel Bell-Drummond
Ben Compton
Jordan Cox
Zak Crawley
Joey Evison
Nathan Gilchrist
Hamid Qadri
Jack Leaning
Conor McKerr
Grant Stewart
The Opposition:
Ollie Robinson’s departure to Durham arguably vexed members even more than the decision to release 46-year-old Darren Stevens, but Michael Hogan’s arrival should shore up an attack weakened by the loss of Harry Podmore.
Having missed out on Matt Henry, Arshdeep Singh was signed, but he’s only available for five games and the hunt for an overseas bowler continued.
To replace the Indian seamer, Kent moved quickly to sign a replacement. Australian quick Wes Agar joined the Club for the next four rounds of County Championship action and is set to make his debut this week. Connor McKerr is also named in the squad following his loan move from Surrey.
After defeating Northants in the opening round, the hosts visited Warwickshire last week aiming to make it two wins out of two. A stunning first innings from Sam Hain took the game away from Kent, but late resistance and 99 runs from new signing Joey Evison nearly earnt the away side a valuable draw.
Kent will be aiming to make it two consecutive wins at home when Essex travel across to Canterbury to continue the famous Battle of the Bridge rivalry.
Last Time We Met:
Essex comprehensively defeated Kent by an innings and 260 runs on day four of the LV= Insurance County Championship match at Canterbury.
Tom Westley’s team needed just 4.4 overs to claim the remaining two wickets on the final day and claim 23 points after bowling Kent out for 149.
Essex were in the ascendancy at Canterbury after reaching 327 for four at Stumps on Day One of their LV= Insurance County Championship fixture against Kent.
Matt Critchley took advantage of being given a life on six to finish the day not out on 80 after Alastair Cook and Tom Westley had made half-centuries earlier in proceedings.
Despite winning the toss and choosing to bowl, Kent’s bowlers struggled to consistently challenge the bat on a slow pitch and too often they gave the Essex batters chances to score, which they accepted gratefully.
Khushi resumed play on Day Two, 46 not out and brought up his half-century off the first ball of the day, striking a Grant Stewart delivery through mid-wicket for four. A classy maiden first-class century arrived for the 23-year-old in his third Championship match, and it came from 228 balls and included two sixes and 18 fours.
Kent batters would have been sick of the sight of Ben Allison and Sam Cook, who tormented them on day three where 16 Kent wickets fell and Essex came unbearably close to completing a victory inside three days at Canterbury.
Each of the seamers came into the day in high spirits after striking their highest first-class scores in Essex’s first innings and Allison would have more to cheer about before the Lunch break, picking up 4/31 in the session on the way to another career-best.
Sam Cook took 10/60 in the match, including 7/33 in the second innings, while Jamie Porter claimed 3/50.
Jordan Cox was Kent’s top scorer with 65, but the result left in the hosts in deep relegation mire, having taken just a single point.
How To Watch:
If you’re unable to attend, the game will be streamed live from Canterbury and available to watch via the Essex Cricket Matchzone.
Miss the action? Highlights will be available after each day’s play via the Club website and social media channels.
