Match Preview - Gloucestershire v Kent Spitfires
7 August 2019
Gloucestershire look to get their first Vitality Blast victory at the Bristol County Ground in 2019 as they take on South Group leaders Kent Spitfires.
The high-flying Spitfires have won six of their seven Vitality Blast games thus far, the only loss coming against second placed Sussex who just defeated Gloucestershire in fortuitous fashion.
The home side lie sixth in the South Group, seven points behind Kent with one game in hand. Gloucestershire’s solitary victory coming against Middlesex at Cheltenham in front of a sold-out crowd.
Benny Howell still owns the Vitality Blast’s best bowling figures in an innings with numbers of 5/18. He has also been Gloucestershire’s most economic bowler to have played in every game thus far.
David Payne continued his fine bowling form against Sussex, adding three more wickets to his season total. Chris Liddle was named in the starting eleven for the last match against Sussex and picked up one wicket in three overs at 6.66.
Gloucestershire will need to rely on more than one batsman if they want to challenge the tough bowling opposition of Kent. So far in the Vitality Blast, only one of the Club’s batsmen have surpassed the half-century mark in each of their matches, apart from the game at Sophia Gardens when Cockbain was the top run maker with 40.
Gloucestershire’s 13-man squad to face Kent:
Klinger, Hammond, Cockbain, Bracey, Higgins, J Taylor, Howell, Tye, Smith, van Buuren, Payne, Dent, Liddle.
South African fast bowler Hardus Viljoen has been potent for the south easterners taking a competition high 14 wickets in the first seven matches. New Zealander Adam Milne has eight wickets in the Blast including three in their last outing, a victory over Hampshire.
Kent have not needed to depend on one player with the bat. Far from it. They boast six players who have reached 100 runs in the competition so far including Heino Kuhn and Mohammad Nabi.
Due to washouts, Gloucestershire have only batted four innings in their opening six games. Ryan Higgins the top run scorer with 131 while Ian Cockbain isn’t far off thanks to a 61 not out in the last match against Sussex to bring his total to 117.
Kent Spitfires 13-man squad:
Bell-Drummond, Blake, Claydon, Cox, Crawley, Dickson, Klaassen, Kuhn, Milne, Nabi, O’Riordan, Robinson, Viljoen.
The match is due to begin at 6:30pm, gates open at 4:30pm. You can still purchase tickets at the gate. Adults £25, Juniors £5.
