The Kent Spitfires face neighbours Surrey in the last round of the NatWest T20 Blast at Canterbury tonight.
The Spitfires go into the game on the back of an impressive victory against Somerset last week in T20 cricket, and LV= County Championship victory over the same rivals yesterday, knowing, surprisingly, that they have a tiny chance of still making the playoffs.
Whilst Surrey are confirmed quarter-finals, sitting third with 16 points from their 12 played matches, they still have the incentive of securing home ground advantage.
Two wins will enable them to finish first or second in the Southern Group – depending on Essex’s result. One win would likely be enough to push the ahead of Hampshire on superior run rate, and into second place.
For the Spitfires the equation is a lot more complicated. Lying currently sixth, with 11 points from 13 matches, they need to beat Surrey by a handsome margin and then hope Gloucestershire beat the currently fourth placed Glamorgan and that Middlesex upset fifth placed Somerset.
Head Coach Jimmy Adams is keeping it simple, ‘We have to simply play to our potential and win,’ he stated. ‘The lads are finishing the competition strongly, it was a great performance last Friday we just need to repeat it.’
Adams has added a 14th player to the squad he named for last week’s fixture, Australian fast bowler Doug Bollinger returning from injury and giving the coach some extra options.
In their early round match at Kia Oval, Surrey were comfortable winners, beating the Spitfires by 8 wickets.
Batting first the Kent total of 155 looked competitive, given the slow start, built on the back of half centuries by Fabian Cowdrey, 55 and Darren Stevens, 56 not out.
They had not accounted for the brilliance of Jason Roy who plundered 79 off 46 balls and Tillakaratne Dilshan, 46 off 38. Surrey accounting for the runs required in 17.5 overs for the loss of two wickets.
The match begins at 5.30pm and a big crowd is expected for the clash between the local rivals.
The full Kent squad is:
· Rob Key (c)
· Adam Ball
· Daniel Bell-Drummond
· Sam Billings (w)
· Alex Blake
· Doug Bollinger
· Mitch Claydon
· Fabian Cowdrey
· Charlie Hartley
· Ben Harmison
· Sam Northeast
· Adam Riley
· Darren Stevens
· James Tredwell
Surrey have named a 14 man squad to face Kent Spitfires with former all-rounder Azhar Mahmood and Kevin Pietersen in the travelling party.
Aneesh Kapil returns to the squad and George Edwards is included for the first time in this year’s competition.
The Surrey squad to play the Kent Spitfires:
Gary Wilson (capt) Zafar Ansari Gareth Batty Rory Burns Steven Davies Matthew Dunn Tillikaratne Dilshan George Edwards Aneesh Kapil Azhar Mahmood Stuart Meaker Robin Peterson Kevin Pietersen Jason RoyPictures supplied by www.sarahansellphotography.com