Kent County Cricket Club
2020 season
CoachEngland Matthew Walker
CaptainEngland Sam Billings
Ground(s)St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury
Bob Willis Trophy2nd, South Group
Vitality BlastQuarter-finals

In 2020 Kent County Cricket Club were scheduled to compete in Division One of the County Championship, the Royal London One-Day Cup and the 2020 t20 Blast. However, the season was heavily disrupted by the global COVID-19 pandemic, with no county cricket fixtures played until August.[1] For the shortened season, the majority of counties voted on 7 July to play first-class and Twenty20 cricket,[2] with the Royal London One-Day Cup being cancelled.[3] Instead of the County Championship this year, the 18 first-class counties competed for the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy, which consisted of three regional groups of six teams and a final at Lord's.[4]

The season was the fourth in charge for head coach, and former player, Matthew Walker. Former Kent bowler Simon Cook became the new bowling coach after a spell as head coach of the Hong Kong national team, replacing South African Allan Donald who left the county at the end of the previous season.[5][6] Former England all-rounder Michael Yardy joined Kent as the new batting coach in February 2020.[7] Sam Billings retained the club captaincy that he was first awarded in 2018.[8] Billings and vice-captain Joe Denly both spent time away with England squads throughout the season, and so Daniel Bell-Drummond captained the side on several occasions.[9]

The delayed start of the season and the resulting loss of income meant that, like many other counties, Kent decided to cancel contracts for their overseas signings.[10] New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry had been due to return for the first part of the season after a highly successful spell with the county in 2018.[11][12] Meanwhile, Afghan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi had signed to play for the county in the t20 Blast for a second successive year.[13][14]

Squad

Batsman Alex Blake signed a new white-ball (limited overs) contract with the county in January 2020, becoming the first homegrown player to sign such a deal with Kent.[15]

Departures

Mitchell Claydon left Kent after seven years with the team, to join Sussex at the end of the 2019 season.[16] In July 2020, batsman Sean Dickson departed the club to join Durham, initially on loan for the 2020 season.[17] On 30 July, wicket-keeper Adam Rouse announced his retirement from cricket at the age of 28, after having played four seasons with Kent.[18]

All-rounder Calum Haggett and bowler Ivan Thomas were both released by the club after their contracts expired in October.[19][20]

Arrivals

In August 2019, Kent announced that they had signed Yorkshire all-rounder Jack Leaning on a three-year contract from October 2019.[21] In September 2019, Kent announced the signings of teenage Afghan-born England Under-19 off-spinner Hamidullah Qadri from Derbyshire on a three-year deal.[22] A few days later, the county also announced the signing of 35 year-old seamer Tim Groenewald from Somerset on a two-year deal from 2020.[23]

Zimbabwean-born 20-year old fast bowler Nathan Gilchrist, who had yet to play a senior match, joined Kent in August, initially on loan from Somerset ahead of signing a three-year contract.[24]

Squad list

No. Name Nationality Birth date Batting style Bowling style Notes
Batsmen
4Heino Kuhn South Africa1 April 1984 (aged 36)Right-handedKolpak signing
6Joe Denly England16 March 1986 (aged 34)Right-handedRight arm leg breakVice-captain
10Alex Blake England25 January 1989 (aged 31)Left-handedRight arm off breakWhite-ball contract only[15]
16Zak Crawley England3 February 1998 (aged 22)Right-handedRight arm medium
23Daniel Bell-Drummond England3 August 1993 (aged 26)Right-handedRight arm medium
34Jack Leaning England18 October 1993 (aged 26)Right-handedRight arm medium/off break
All-rounders
3Darren Stevens England30 April 1976 (aged 44)Right-handedRight arm medium
9Grant Stewart Australia19 February 1994 (aged 26)Right-handedRight arm mediumEU passport holder
25Calum Haggett England30 October 1990 (aged 29)Left-handedRight arm medium-fast
55Marcus O'Riordan England25 January 1998 (aged 22)Right-handedRight arm off break
Wicket-keepers
7Sam Billings England15 June 1991 (aged 29)Right-handedClub captain
21Ollie Robinson England1 December 1998 (aged 21)Right-handed
22Jordan Cox England21 October 2000 (aged 19)Right-handed
Bowlers
1Harry Podmore England23 July 1994 (aged 26)Right-handedRight arm medium
5Ivan Thomas England25 September 1991 (aged 28)Right-handedRight arm medium-fast
11Imran Qayyum England23 May 1993 (aged 27)Right-handedSlow left-arm orthodox
17Nathan Gilchrist South Africa11 June 2000 (aged 20)Left-handedRight-arm fast-mediumOn loan from Somerset for 2020; UK passport
18Fred Klaassen Netherlands13 November 1992 (aged 27)Right-handedLeft arm medium-fast
29Matt Milnes England29 July 1994 (aged 26)Right-handedRight arm medium-fast
34Tim Groenewald England10 January 1984 (aged 36)Right-handedRight arm fast-medium
75Hamidullah Qadri England5 January 2000 (aged 20)Right-handedRight arm off break

Bob Willis Trophy

Matches played in the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy had first-class status, but there were some differences to the playing conditions compared to the County Championship. The minimum number of overs in a day was reduced to 90, the follow-on increased from 150 runs to 200, the new ball was to be available after 90 overs instead of 80, and each team's first innings was restricted to a maximum of 120 overs.[25] Kent's first match of the delayed season began on 1 August against Essex at Chelmsford.[26]

South Group

Team Pld W L T D A Bat Bowl Ded PCF Pts
Essex (Q) 5 4 0 0 1 0 6 12 0 0 90
Kent[lower-alpha 1] 5 3 1 0 1 0 12 15 1 0 82
Middlesex 5 2 2 0 1 0 8 14 0 0 62
Hampshire 5 2 2 0 1 0 4 13 0 0 57
Surrey 5 1 4 0 0 0 8 12 0 0 36
Sussex[lower-alpha 2] 5 1 4 0 0 0 9 11 24 0 12
Source: BBC Sport,[29] CricInfo,[30] ECB[31]
(Q) Qualified for Final
Notes:
  1. Kent were deducted 1 point for a slow over rate against Surrey.[27]
  2. Sussex were deducted 24 points for ball tampering against Middlesex.[28]

Matches

1–4 August
v
Essex (H)
Essex won by 2 wickets
 
 
387 (104.3 overs)
HG Kuhn 140 (248)
JA Porter 4/107 (26 overs)
298 (108.2 overs)
RN ten Doeschate 78 (170)
ME Milnes 4/46 (20.2 overs)
112 (49.1 overs)
JM Cox 29 (116)
SR Harmer 4/35 (18.1 overs)
202/8 (69.4 overs)
AN Cook 66 (116)
IAA Thomas 4/32 (8 overs)
8–10 August
v
Kent (H)
Kent won by an innings and 25 runs
 
 
332 (94.3 overs)
BC Brown 98 (175)
HW Podmore 4/85 (23.3 overs)
530/1 (120 overs)
JM Cox 238* (345)
ME Claydon 1/86 (24 overs)
173 (46.1 overs)
HZ Finch 66 (98)
DI Stevens 5/50 (15 overs)
  • Sussex won the toss and chose to bat
  • Points: Kent 24, Sussex 3
  • TD Groenewald made his Kent debut
  • JM Cox scored his maiden first-class century, and double century (238 not out),[32][33] and JA Leaning also scored his maiden double century (220 not out)[34]
  • The unbeaten partnership of 423 runs between JM Cox and JA Leaning was a Kent record in first-class cricket[35]
  • Kent's score of 530/1 was the fourth highest single wicket score in global first-class cricket[35]
15–18 August
v
Kent (H)
Match drawn
 
 
269 (108 overs)
RG White 99 (220)
DI Stevens 5/79 (31 overs)
191 (49 overs)
JL Denly 89 (154)
ML Cummins 5/62 (19.1 overs)
169/1d (40 overs)
SD Robson 82* (143)
MK O'Riordan 1/42 (8 overs)
70/0 (14 overs)
MK O'Riordan 34* (41)
  • Kent won the toss and elected to field
  • Only 9.3 overs were bowled on day one, and only a further 52 overs on day two due to rain
  • Points: Kent 11, Middlesex 13
22–25 August
v
Surrey (H)
Kent won by 17 runs
 
 
342 (103.1 overs)
G Stewart 58 (103)
AW Finch 4/69 (23.1 overs)
278 (91.4 overs)
BT Foakes 118 (188)
DI Stevens 3/45 (25 overs)
127 (46.5 overs)
JM Cox 32 (74)
R Clarke 5/20 (14 overs)
174 (48.1 overs)
BT Foakes 57 (131)
DI Stevens 4/41 (13 overs)
  • Surrey won the toss and chose to field
  • Points: Surrey 5, Kent 22
  • NN Gilchrist made his first-class debut
  • Kent were later deducted one point due to a slow over rate.[27]
6–9 September
v
Kent (H)
Kent won by 7 wickets
 
 
191 (75 overs)
IG Holland 42 (69)
DI Stevens 5/37 (27 overs)
170 (61 overs)
MK O'Riordan 37 (82)
SW Currie 3/42 (13 overs)
159 (64.1 overs)
TAR Scriven 68 (132)
HW Podmore 5/43 (23 overs)
185/3 (41.5 overs)
Z Crawley 105 (100)
AS Dale 1/22 (5 overs)
  • Kent won the toss and chose to field.
  • Points: Kent 19, Hampshire 3

t20 Blast

South group

Pos Team Pld W L T NR Pts NRR
1 Surrey 10 7 1 1 1 16 0.651
2 Sussex Sharks 10 6 3 0 1 13 0.377
3 Kent Spitfires 10 5 3 1 1 12 0.108
4 Middlesex 10 3 5 1 1 8 −0.296
5 Essex Eagles 10 2 6 1 1 6 −0.003
6 Hampshire 10 2 7 0 1 5 −0.803
Updated to match(es) played on 20 September 2020. Source: BBC Sport,[36] England and Wales Cricket Board[37]

Matches

27 August
Hampshire
139/6 (20 overs)
v
Kent (H)
52/0 (4.1 overs)
No result
 
 
JJ Weatherley 68 (49)
ME Milnes 3/19 (4 overs)
  • Kent won the toss and chose to field
  • No further play was possible due to rain
  • Points: Kent 1, Hampshire 1
29 August
Middlesex (H)
209/4 (20 overs)
v
Kent
209/5 (20 overs)
Match tied
 
 
Lord's, London
Umpires: NL Bainton and BJ Debenham
Player of the match: DJ Bell-Drummund (Kent)
SS Eskinazi 84 (52)
FJ Klaassen 2/50 (4 overs)
DJ Bell-Drummund 72 (32)
ST Finn 2/34 (4 overs)
  • Kent won the toss and chose to field
  • Points: Middlesex 1, Kent 1
1 September
Surrey
161/4 (20 overs)
v
Kent (H)
162/5 (18.3 overs)
Kent won by 5 wickets
 
 
St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury
Umpires: NJ Llong and M Newell
Player of the match: HG Kuhn (Kent)
HM Amla 75 (56)
TD Groenewald 2/31 (4 overs)
HG Kuhn 42* (31)
D Moriarty 3/25 (4 overs)
  • Kent won the toss and chose to field
  • Points: Kent 2, Surrey 0
3 September
Kent
195/5 (20 overs)
v
Sussex (H)
194/7 (20 overs)
Kent won by 1 run
 
 
County Cricket Ground, Hove
Umpires: M Newell and BV Taylor
Player of the match: Z Crawley (Kent)
Z Crawley 67 (49)
GHS Garton 2/31 (4 overs)
LJ Wright 40 (20)
Imran Qayyum 2/27 (4 overs)
  • Sussex won the toss and chose to field
  • Points: Sussex 0, Kent 2
5 September
Kent
192/6 (20 overs)
v
Essex (H)
163/7 (20 overs)
Kent won by 29 runs
 
 
The Oval, London
Umpires: BJ Debenham and IJ Gould
Player of the match: DJ Bell-Drummond (Kent)
DJ Bell-Drummond 81 (45)
SR Harmer 2/21 (4 overs)
RN ten Doeschate 42 (24)
Imran Qayyum 3/25 (4 overs)
  • Kent won the toss and chose to bat
  • Points: Kent 2, Essex 0
12 September
Kent (H)
141/8 (20 overs)
v
Sussex
145/2 (15.4 overs)
Sussex won by 8 wickets
 
 
St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury
Umpires: IJ Gould and NJ Llong
Player of the match: DMW Rawlins (Sussex)
JL Denly 32 (17)
DR Briggs 3/27 (4 overs)
DMW Rawlins 62* (33)
JL Denly 1/19 (3 overs)
  • Sussex win the toss and chose to field
  • Points: Kent 0, Sussex 2
14 September
Hampshire (H)
182/6 (20 overs)
v
Kent
183/2 (17.1 overs)
Kent won by 8 wickets
 
 
Ageas Bowl, Southampton
Umpires: M Newell and BV Taylor
Player of the match: Z Crawley (Kent)
James Fuller 50* (23)
FJ Klaassen 1/24 (3 overs)
Z Crawley 108* (54)
IG Holland 1/27 (2.1 overs)
  • Kent won the toss and chose to field.
  • Points: Hampshire 0, Kent 2
  • Z Crawley scored his first Twenty20 century[38]
16 September
Middlesex
184/6 (20 overs)
v
Kent (H)
182/7 (20 overs)
Middlesex won by 2 runs
 
 
St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury
Umpires: NL Bainton and NJ Llong
Player of the match: LBK Hollman (Middlesex)
JB Cracknell 50 (22)
Imran Qayyum 1/21 (4 overs)
DJ Bell-Drummond 89 (54)
TJ Murtagh 2/23 (4 overs)
  • Kent won the toss and chose to field
  • Points: Kent 0, Middlesex 2
18 September
Essex
167/9 (20 overs)
v
Kent (H)
171/6 (19.4 overs)
Kent won by 4 wickets
 
 
St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury
Umpires: NJ Llong and MJ Saggers
Player of the match: JA Leaning (Kent)
RN ten Doeschate 52 (33)
FJ Klaassen 3/36 (4 overs)
JA Leaning 55* (32)
JH Plom 3/32 (3.4 overs)
  • Essex won the toss and chose to bat
  • Points: Kent 2, Essex 0
20 September
Kent
159/8 (20 overs)
v
Surrey (H)
161/4 (18.4 overs)
Surrey won by 6 wickets
 
 
The Oval, London
Umpires: IJ Gould and NJ Llong
Player of the match: LJ Evans (Surrey)
SW Billings 50 (33)
LE Plunkett 3/19 (4 overs)
LJ Evans 73 (45)
G Stewart 2/28 (3.4 overs)
  • Surrey won the toss and chose to field
  • Points: Surrey 2, Kent 0

Quarter-final

1 October
Surrey (H)
169/2 (20 overs)
v
Kent
113/7 (20 overs)
Surrey won by 56 runs
 
 
The Oval, London
Umpires: NGB Cook and MJ Saggers
Player of the match: WG Jacks (Surrey)
HM Amla 73* (53)
Imran Qayyum 2/34 (4 overs)
JA Leaning 34 (28)
WG Jacks 4/15 (4 overs)
  • Kent won the toss and chose to bat

Statistics

Batting

First-class (Bob Willis Trophy)
Player Matches Innings NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 0 4s 6s
Jordan Cox 461324238*64.8053.02100394
Jack Leaning 581279220*39.8552.14102360
Marcus O'Riordan 58321652*43.2045.00010320
Heino Kuhn 24120214067.3357.71100252
Daniel Bell-Drummond 5911854523.1254.89000250
Ollie Robinson 5601387823.0057.02011211
Grant Stewart 4601295821.5061.72010152
Zak Crawley 12010510552.5097.22101180
Matt Milnes 460964316.0043.83000140
Joe Denly 110898989.0057.79010140
Harry Podmore 331794739.5091.86000121
Darren Stevens 560773612.8356.20002111
Nathan Gilchrist 120382519.0048.1000070
Sam Billings 210202020.0050.0000040
Hamidullah Qadri 4521153.6626.1900210
Ivan Thomas 22133*3.0020.0000100
Fred Klaassen 11100*00000
Tim Groenewald 10

Source: Cricinfo[39]

Twenty20 (t20 Blast)
Player Matches Innings NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 0 4s 6s
Daniel Bell-Drummond 111114238942.30154.940305312
Zak Crawley 11112342108*38.00156.88110437
Jack Leaning 119320155*33.50138.62010186
Alex Blake 119117152*21.37134.64010118
Joe Denly 6601523825.33142.05000116
Heino Kuhn 88210442*17.33118.18001110
Sam Billings 330865028.66132.3001082
Grant Stewart 11937921*13.1698.7500033
Jordan Cox 8627539*18.75122.9500162
Calum Haggett 3111515*107.1400010
Imran Qayyum 111188*88.8800000
Tim Groenewald 42276*87.5000010
Matt Milnes 1032636.0085.7100000
Ollie Robinson 21111*33.3300000
Fred Klaassen 110

Source: CricInfo[40]

Bowling

First-class (Bob Willis Trophy)
Player Matches Innings Overs Maidens Runs Wickets BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 5w 10w
Darren Stevens 510209.064452295/379/7215.582.1643.230
Harry Podmore 36117.330307195/437/9216.152.6137.110
Matt Milnes 48119.329355154/467/11223.662.9747.800
Marcus O'Riordan 5762.1525583/504/7231.874.1046.600
Grant Stewart 4895.51929953/483/8759.803.12115.000
Fred Klaassen 1227.068044/444/8020.002.9640.500
Ivan Thomas 2430.0313644/324/7434.004.5345.000
Tim Groenewald 1228.0511921/532/11959.504.2584.000
Hamidullah Qadri 4538.4710411/241/58104.002.68232.000
Jack Leaning 512.01201.0000
Joe Denly 112.001206.0000
Daniel Bell-Drummond 525.002204.4000
Nathan Gilchrist 129.015205.7700

Source: CricInfo[41]

Twenty20 (t20 Blast)
Player Matches Innings Overs Maidens Runs Wickets BBI Ave Econ SR 4w 5w
Fred Klaassen 111140.40374133/3628.769.1918.700
Imran Qayyum 111141.00329113/2529.908.0222.300
Matt Milnes 101037.0033873/1948.289.1331.700
Grant Stewart 111137.4032962/2854.838.7337.600
Tim Groenewald 4415.0011942/3129.757.9322.500
Joe Denly 6621.0016631/1955.337.9042.000
Calum Haggett 339.009321/2846.5010.3327.000
Jack Leaning 1156.004307.1600
Alex Blake 1157.006008.5700

Source: CricInfo[42]

References

  1. "Domestic season delayed until 1 August because of coronavirus". BBC Sport. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  2. "Counties vote to play red and white ball cricket when season starts on 1 August". BBC Sport. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  3. "Counties could be offered opt-out as Hampshire express red-ball reservations". ESPN Cricinfo. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  4. "First-class counties to compete for Bob Willis Trophy". ESPN Cricinfo. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  5. "Allan Donald: South Africa Test legend to leave Kent at season's end". BBC Sport. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  6. "Cook relishing new role as Bowling Coach". Kent County Cricket Club. 22 October 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  7. "Mike Yardy: Kent appoint former England one-day all-rounder as batting coach". BBC Sport. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  8. "Sam Billings: England limited-overs player replaces Sam Northeast as Kent captain". BBC Sport. 17 January 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  9. "Kent batsman Bell-Drummond leads way as Kent tie with Middlesex in Vitality Blast thriller at Lord's". The Times. 30 August 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  10. "Counties remain hopeful of two overseas players for 2021". ESPN Cricinfo. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  11. "Matt Henry: Kent re-sign New Zealand paceman for start of 2020 season". BBC Sport. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  12. "Matt Henry: Kent cancel deal for New Zealand pace bowler". BBC Sport. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  13. "Mohammad Nabi: Afghanistan all-rounder to rejoin Kent for T20 Blast". BBC Sport. 13 November 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  14. "Mohammad Nabi: Kent T20 return cancelled after coronavirus delay". BBC Sport. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  15. 1 2 "Alex Blake: Kent batsman signs new white-ball deal until 2022". BBC Sport. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  16. "Mitch Claydon: Kent seamer to leave after seven years for Sussex in 2020". BBC Sport. 9 September 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  17. "Sean Dickson: Durham sign opener from Kent". BBC Sport. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  18. "Rouse retires from cricket". Kent County Cricket Club. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  19. "Calum Haggett: Kent all-rounder to leave after seven years with club". BBC Sport. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  20. "Ivan Thomas: Kent release fast bowler". BBC Sport. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  21. "Jack Leaning: Kent sign Yorkshire batsman on three-year contract from 2020". BBC Sport. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  22. "Hamidullah Qadri: Kent sign Derbyshire & England U19 off-spinner on three-year contract". BBC Sport. 24 September 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  23. "Tim Groenewald: Seamer leaves Somerset to join Kent on two-year deal". BBC Sport. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  24. Nathan joins Kent, Somerset County Cricket Club, 10 August 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  25. "Everything you need to know about the Bob Willis Trophy". England and Wales Cricket Board. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  26. "Bob Willis Trophy fixtures 2020: Full schedule, dates, matches". The Cricketer. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  27. 1 2 "Bob Willis Trophy: Kent deducted one point for slow over-rate". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  28. "Sussex deducted 24 points in Bob Willis Trophy after ball-tampering charge". SkySports.com. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  29. Bob Willis Trophy Table, BBC Sport.
  30. Bob Willis Trophy 2020, CricInfo.
  31. Bob Willis Trophy Tables, England and Wales Cricket Board.
  32. "Cox chuffed with maiden ton". Kent Sports News. 9 August 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  33. "Bob Willis Trophy: Cox & Leaning centuries put Kent in front against Sussex". BBC Sport. 9 August 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  34. "Darren Stevens skewers Sussex after Jordan Cox, Jack Leaning run-bonanza". ESPN Cricinfo. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  35. 1 2 "Kent seal emphatic innings win as records fall". Kent County Cricket Club. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  36. Vitality Blast tables, BBC Sport.
  37. All County Tables, ECB.
  38. "T20 Blast: Zak Crawley ton as Kent win, Surrey top South Group and wins for Essex & Lancs". BBC Sport. 14 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  39. "Season 2020 - Kent / Records / First-class matches / Most runs". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  40. "Season 2020 - Kent / Records / Twenty20 matches / Most runs". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  41. "Season 2020 - Kent / Records / First-class matches / Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  42. "Season 2020 - Kent / Records / Twenty20 matches / Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.