After a 2024 summer where Kent’s one day campaigns were as disappointing as their red ball campaign, the Spitfires’ T20 skipper Sam Billings is hoping that 2025 can bring a change of fortune. 

The Spitfires are a 20/1 shot to win The Blast – odds that seem very generous for the 2021 winners – leaving Billings to reflect on a difficult 2024 campaign. “It’s always tough when your squad is stretched pretty thin!” Billings told KSN when we spoke at the county’s media day.

“It’s great that Freddie Klaassen and Mike Cohen are back. We have made a few really good additions adding to our depth really. I know they are not, but because of the injuries it does seem that they are new players for us – from not being available all year to now being fully fit is fantastic.” 

“Really looking forward to the new season – fresh energy with a new coach; really excited by what he has to offer to bring fresh ideas to the group and looking forward to things – this time of year everyone is optimistic, reflective on last year of course, but fresh start and hopefully we can be a little more injury free as a squad and give it a really good go!” 

“It was frustrating in all forms of the game last year, but for me and specifically it was T20 for me. It was frustrating as we had some really good performances and just didn’t put it together as a team or a squad. We just didn’t get into a flow at all.” 

Billings’ name has been linked with the England white ball captaincy after a tough winter for the national side. “I am not so sure,” the Kent T20 skipper admitted to us.

“We will see. Over a period of time things will be considered, but I am not thinking too much about it. I’m pretty sure that Harry Brook is probably on the front line for good reason, but I am just concentrating on what I need to do and hopefully keep topping up the silverware in the cupboard.”

“I wouldn’t say that being asked that question is frustrating, I think it’s flattering of course, but like I said, I am at a stage now as a person that it’s a case of take it as it comes, don’t look too far ahead, keep doing what I am doing and keep adding to the trophies!” 

“Had a great winter in Sydney. Being part of that project is something – the (Sydney) Thunder won one game last year and we went to the Final this year!”

“I signed a three-year deal and it’s a treat to work alongside David Warner – a great senior figure in that dressing room really pushing things forward – the progress that we have made in such a short period of time is there to see.”

“We got to the Final and to be beaten by the best team in the competition, there were some great memories made, and from there it was onto Dubai and captaining the team to the Trophy there was great – two finals, one trophy – a good winter!” 

That came off the back of Billings leading the Oval Invincibles to success again in The Hundred.

“It was fantastic and hopefully we could go three in a row in 2025.”

Reflecting on comments made against the even shorter form of Cricket, Billings said, “I think that we are in an incredible position as a sport that we have various formats that you don’t necessarily must like them all, but you love cricket.”

“If you are a purist and love the longer format of the game, then great! The kids from what we have seen absolutely love the short format – I hear from people all the time who have never liked cricket in their lives loving T20 cricket and Hundred cricket.” 

“But there is no right and wrong – it’s accepting and being appreciative that we have so many different formats… I love all the formats as they present different challenges based on the character perspective, but also skill perspectives.”

“I think all of them you can appreciate for what they are worth – you can see the amount of money that is going to come into the game in this country, and whether you like the format or not, you cannot argue about it.”

“As long as the money is used in a positive way, as I am sure that it will be, and a progressive way for the good of the game in this country, it’s an overdue financial boost which you can ask where it was going to come from otherwise! It should now put cricket in a good position.” 

Turning to the T20 2025 campaign, Billings said, “As Gloucester showed last year, not necessarily the best team on paper, but I bet they were well priced last year.”

“Twenty Twenty is funny, you get onto a roll, you get into a rhythm as a team and things can happen. We have won it before, recently, so there is no reason why we couldn’t win it – it’s about earning that right, we know it’s going to be hard getting the team together, but why not?” 

Whilst the County start their campaign at Northampton on Friday, Billings heads off to Pakistan for their T20 competition before returning to England for the Spitfires in The Vitality Blast and then The Hundred for Oval Invincibles and then, as Billings himself admitted, “who knows?”