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Metro Bank One Day Cup Preview: Kent Spitfires v Somerset
THE MATCH
Somerset take on Kent Spitfires in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at the Spitfire Ground, Canterbury tomorrow, Sunday August 24th.
Play is due to get underway at 11am.
Tickets for this match are still available:
HOW CAN I KEEP UP TO DATE?
You can keep up to date using the dedicated Match Centre on this website which will feature a live stream of the action courtesy of Kent CCC.
In-play updates will also appear on our X feed (formerly Twitter).
In addition to this, a report on the day’s play along with quotes will be posted on this website.
THE OPPOSITION
KENT SPITFIRES
Captain: Grant Stewart and Harry Finch
2024 Position: Seventh (Group A)
2024 Most Runs: Jack Leaning (262)
2024 Most Wickets: Matt Parkinson (12)
Overview: Only three first-teamers are playing in The Hundred and the white-ball squad looks significantly stronger than the red. Kent won this competition as recently as 2022 and six of the team that surprised a full-strength Lancashire in that final are still with the club, although whether the Warwickshire-bound Nathan Gilchrist will be selected is uncertain.
Player to watch: Harry Finch keeps on reinventing himself. A player who openly admits he wasted the first part of his career with Sussex, he got a second chance at Kent, taught himself to keep wicket and this year has starred at both number three and as an opener in the Vitality Blast. Asked what he’d try his hand at next, he replied: “football”.
Young gun: Orpington-born, batting all-rounder Ekansh Singh has broken into the Rothesay County Championship side this season and recently starred for the England Men U19s, making a century in the second Youth Test at Chelmsford. The 19-year-old also went to school in Tonbridge, a town that’s nurtured talent including Colin Blythe, Colin Cowdrey and Ed Smith.
Final thought: Politics derailed Kent’s 2024 campaign – Ben Compton was sidelined, reportedly due to his contract situation, and Kent sorely missed his ability to pace an innings, as a bowler-heavy line-up threw away a chance of qualification. This time round the business has been done early, with Compton and Joey Evison, player-of-the-match in the 2022 final, both signing new deals while leg-spinning all-rounder Mohammed Rizvi has been signed after impressing with the 2nd XI.
TEAM NEWS
Somerset have named the following squad for the match:
VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Ahead of the match, Somerset CCC Interim Head Coach, Paul Tweddle said: “It was important that we got back to winning ways at Sussex after the Warwickshire defeat, and that’s exactly what we did. I’m incredibly proud of how the players responded. Every single player has played their part so far in this competition and that just goes to show the spirit that we have within the camp. We need to build on the Sussex win at Kent this weekend and that’s what we intend to do. Kent are traditionally a strong white ball side and they will pose a tough challenge, but it’s a challenge that we are relishing.”
CLASSIC MATCH
We head back to 2006 for the classic List A match between the two sides at Canterbury.
It was a match that Somerset won by 112 runs (D/L method) thanks to 158 from Marcus Trescothick.
After being invited to bat at the toss, Trescothick and Matt Wood (72) shared an opening stand of 177 as the visitors posted 338 for five from their 50 overs.
In reply, Kent slipped to 93 for five in the 27th over when rain began to fall, 113 runs shy of the required D/L score.
It wasn’t the ideal end to the game, but it was an afternoon that saw Trescothick show his genuine class.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
If you are planning to attend the match, all the information you need can be found on the official Kent CCC Website.
NEXT MATCH
Somerset’s next match in the competition is on Tuesday August 26th when we take on Northants Steelbacks in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.
This match is also the first ever Somerset Introducing Music Festival. Headlined by the brilliant China Bears, the event will also feature a number of the region’s best up-and-coming acoustic talent.
As a ‘thank you’ for your incredible support in 2025, we have added this match to our Members Mates Rates initiative. 2025 Members can therefore now buy discounted tickets.
