MATCH PREVIEW: Lancashire vs Kent Spitfires
Come Wednesday morning, Lancashire will be more than a week into their One-Day Cup campaign, yet they are still to really get things going following significant weather frustration.
Lancashire vs Kent Spitfires
Metro Bank One-Day Cup, Group One
Wednesday August 9, 2023, 11am
Blackpool Cricket Club, Stanley Park
They currently sit with two points from as many fixtures.
Last Tuesday, they posted an imposing 270-7 from 36 overs against Essex at Sedbergh before reducing the visitors to 23-2 after six overs, only for rain to scupper an almost certain win.
Two days later, at Scarborough, the much-anticipated Roses clash with Yorkshire was scrubbed when overnight rain seeped onto the pitch and made it unplayable.
Now for a repeat of last year’s final as champions Kent Spitfires visit Blackpool.
This is the third of eight group fixtures, with a top-three finish in the group sealing knockout qualification come the end of the month.
The Spitfires have won one and lost one so far. They have Matthew Parkinson on loan from Lancashire for this competition ahead of a permanent winter move. But loan players are unable to play against their parent counties.
Opponents:
Kent beat Lancashire in last season’s final at Trent Bridge, but have since made a mixed start.
They beat Yorkshire at Scarborough by two runs on Duckworth Lewis Stern at Scarborough last Tuesday. They recovered from 49-4 to post 282-9 thanks to a superb century from Joey Evison before just hanging on as they defended a revised target of 181 in 24 overs.
The Vikings were 117-4 in 17 overs when rain returned.
The Spitfires were then hammered by Leicestershire at Beckenham on Sunday, captain Jack Leaning’s side bowled out for only 116 having conceded 380-5. Leaning is leading the side in the absence of Joe Denly, who has missed the first two games because of injury.
Kent, who are coached by Simon Cook in this competition, have signed Australian all-rounder James Bazley as their 50-over overseas player.
England duo Sam Billings and Zak Crawley are the county’s most high profile absentees because of the ongoing Hundred.
Opposing player to watch:
All-rounder Joey Evison is in his first full season with Kent having signed from Nottinghamshire on a three-year deal. But 21-year-old played for the Spitfires on loan in last season’s One-Day Cup and starred against Lancashire in September’s final.
He was player of the match with 97 and two wickets and has impressed again this season, including an opening day century at Yorkshire -136 - last Tuesday.
That was the former England Under 19s player’s career best score across all formats.
Notts were disappointed to lose Evison last July.
He is a middle order batter with poise and power and a very handy right-arm seamer.
He has taken 21 wickets and has scored 747 runs across all cricket this season.
Previous meeting:
Kent ended a run of eight consecutive defeats in one-day finals as they overcame Lancashire to win the One-Day Cup title at Trent Bridge last September.
The county’s first limited overs piece of silverware since lifting the Benson and Hedges Cup in 1978 came as they defended a total of 306-6 by bowling out Lancashire for 285, winning by 21 runs.
Joey Evison scored a fine 97, took 2-29 and held an excellent catch.
Grant Stewart and Nathan Gilchrist claimed three wickets each as Lancashire’s hopes of winning a 12th one-day final were ended, despite skipper Keaton Jennings and Steven Croft scoring 72 apiece.
Joe Denly had supplemented Evison’s efforts with 72, while Darren Stevens, in his last professional match aged 46, finished unbeaten on 33.
Tom Bailey was Lancashire’s best bowler with 2-46. But it wasn’t enough.
What they said:
Graham Onions believes Lancashire will head into their clash with Kent high on confidence despite starting their One-Day Cup campaign with back-to-back rainy No Results.
The Red Rose’s lead coach for this competition wants his players to replicate their performance in the opener against Essex at Sedbergh last week when they were on the verge of victory before the rain returned.
“We’d have liked to have played both and won both, but it’s not to be,” said the former fast bowler.
“We played some brilliant cricket against Essex and deserved to win. Scarborough was slightly different.
“It’s a good pitch at Blackpool, and it’s a great place to play cricket.
“We played a couple of games last year in front of really good crowds, and there were loads of runs. It’s a bit of a bowler’s graveyard. We’ll be ready for that game.”
How’s Stat!
Lancashire have never lost to another county in one-day List A matches at Blackpool. Their only defeat came v India A in 2003, by one wicket.
Former Red Rose overseas left-arm spinner Kartik Murali played for India in that fixture. He joined Lancashire with significant success in 2005 and 2006.
Lancashire have won 10 List A matches at Blackpool added to that aforementioned defeat and two No Results.