Joey Evison could play a key role in Kent Spitfires’ T20 Blast campaign which continues this weekend with Canterbury’s first games in this year’s competition as Somerset and Middlesex visit the Spitfire Ground and he has been talking to KSN.

“As a batter you have to try and be as flexible as you can,” he told us as we asked about the transition between the two forms of the game. “You must be as versatile as you can be and play the situation whatever comes my way, especially with the bat.”

“It really is a lot easier as a bowler – it’s a bit tougher as a batter because you go through the Championship not trying to hit every ball for six and keeping the ball on the floor as T20 is a different technique and skill so to speak, but as a bowler you can go high intensity for less amount of balls,” Evison admitted before adding, “That said, I find it harder going the other way – from T20 back into red ball which makes the two Championship games in the middle of the Blast difficult for everyone, not just us, but it will be nice to have a couple of four day games in between the T20s just to shuffle things round a bit!”  

After the frustrating start to the four day season, Evison admitted, “It is just nice to have a fresh team going into a different block of games. We have had six or seven four dayers and it’s now a completely different format for the next few weeks – it brings a lot of excitement into the group, and we are definitely looking to push to another trophy as we did a couple of years ago.” 

“Everyone looks forward to playing the Blast at Canterbury as the crowd and the support we get here is immense really; it’s a different sort of atmosphere to other grounds, is so good when everyone comes along and it’s a great night for everyone involved.” 

Sam Billings has returned to Kent colours to captain the T20 side, with Daniel Bell-Drummond “just” opening the batting.

“They’re two very different captains who are very good in their own right,” Evison replied when asked to compare the two.

“DBD is laid back while Sam demands a lot of the players which is also good, especially in the shortened format where you have a time limit to bowl the overs as he has to make sure that everyone is in the right place and making sure we’re ready for each over that we have to bowl as bowlers is really important.”

“DBD in the red ball has been equally important and good – you don’t have to be one way as a captain; he’s captained before and done it in T20s which is probably the harder to captain, but Daniel has the respect of all the players for what he’s done in the game and how he is…” 

The county started with a win and defeat in two away matches before returning to The Spitfire Ground this weekend, and Evison admitted, “It is the home games that are always important for us.”

“We want to try and win every game that we play here! We have played some nice cricket last weekend in the first two games – the narrow defeat at Hampshire was a really good game and we can take a lot of positives out of that after what was a record win over Middlesex.”

“That said, Friday doesn’t come much tougher – Somerset are a really good team; they won the competition last year, but anything can happen in T20s – we gave them two really good games last year, home and away, it’ll be two very competitive sides going head to head, with the great following we get here hopefully we’ll get over the line!”