Spitfires v Glos | Match Preview
12 June 2021
Gloucestershire will be hoping to bounce back from their first Vitality Blast defeat as they travel to Canterbury to take on Kent Spitfires.
The Shire fell short against the Sussex Sharks who proved too strong in the first matchup between the sides since 2019.
Positives could still be taken from the game as Josh Shaw took a T20 career best 3/32 continuing where he left off against Glamorgan. He has taken the most wicket for Gloucestershire so far (5) at a strike rate of 7.2.
Glenn Phillips also did his reputation no harm as he put up his second 40+ score in his second match. The New Zealander has scored the most runs for the Club so far in the competition but will be hoping to convert his solid starts to bigger totals.
Kent Spitfires v Gloucestershire | Live on the Gloscricket Match Centre HERE | 6:30pm Start
The aggressive batting and bowling of Ryan Higgins was missed against the Sharks but Ian Harvey will be hoping to get more out of Benny Howell who went wicketless against Sussex and David Payne who has just taken one wicket in the Blast so far.
Chris Dent, Miles Hammond and Ian Cockbain were almost guaranteed to set The Shire on their way in 2020 but all three have yet to find their form. Three games on the road this week on different pitches could be the best way for the top order to get their eye in.
Kent have started the T20 season in the best possible way, winning their opening two matches quite comfortably.
In their curtain raiser against Hampshire, the top three of Denly, Bell-Drummond and Robinson all finished in the 40s as the team put up 176 in their 20 overs. In reply, the Hawks weren’t able replicate Kent’s showing and finished well below the required total in a 38-run loss. Fred Klaassen, Darren Stevens and Grant Stewart were tough to score against and took nine wickets between them.
Against Middlesex, it was the middle-order that did the damage for the Spitfires. Jack Leaning and Jordan Cox both scored 64 to once again get Kent close to a score of 180. On this occasion, there were good contributions from the Joe Denly and James Logan who both gave up just four runs from their solitary overs. A late flurry from the Middlesex’s tail made the score look closer than it should have been.
The Spitfires will have the benefit of having played two home matches already and will be looking to make it three wins from three at Canterbury when Gloucestershire come to town.
Gloucestershire's 14-man squad:
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