These short term deals are becoming quite common. Six T20s, two one-day games and one first-class match are better than nothing, but means that by the time he's acclimatized, he'll be off again.
On another note MLC, a mutual friend of ours has informed me that he'd heard that a former opening Club quickie recently retired from the Police force (who you played with more than I did) is going to be doing some coaching at Kent. But then our friend heard it from his brother and his brother might have meant "in Kent" as opposed to "at Kent."
Anyway, talking about top class coaching, really appreciate your recent kind offer of a 1-2-1 with Seb but struggling to fit it in this weekend - what with Rob Key on Saturday for the batting and Geraint Jones on Sunday for the keeping ;-)
Kent have signed South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada for a spell in June and July.
The Johannesburg-born paceman impressed against England on their tour, taking 22 wickets in three Tests and nine wickets in four one-day internationals.
Rabada said: “I will play hard and try my best. I want to learn from the experience - particularly bowling in different conditions. Most of all I am looking forward to enjoying the experience.”
He will join Kent in late June after South Africa’s tri-series against Australia and West Indies in the Caribbean until he is due to report back for international duty against New Zealand in August subject to Cricket South Africa issuing the requisite ‘No Objection Certificate’.
Rabada is in line to make his NatWest T20 Blast debut against Sussex Sharks at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence on Thursday 30 June and is in contention to face Essex Eagles (away, July 1), Somerset (away, July 7), Gloucestershire (away, July 8), Surrey (Tunbridge Wells, July 15) and Essex Eagles (The Spitfire Ground, July 22).
During his stay, there are County Championship matches against Essex (Chelmsford, July 3-6) and Sussex (Tunbridge Wells, July 17-20) as well as a Royal London One-Day Cup match against Middlesex (Lord's, July 24).
Kent Cricket chairman George M Kennedy CBE said: “We’ve all been hugely impressed by Kagiso in the recent series against England and I’m looking forward to seeing him playing for Kent this summer.
“He follows in the footsteps of a number of South Africans and I hope he enjoys his spell at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence and that Kent will become his county of choice for this very promising young bowler in future years.”
On another note MLC, a mutual friend of ours has informed me that he'd heard that a former opening Club quickie recently retired from the Police force (who you played with more than I did) is going to be doing some coaching at Kent. But then our friend heard it from his brother and his brother might have meant "in Kent" as opposed to "at Kent."
Anyway, talking about top class coaching, really appreciate your recent kind offer of a 1-2-1 with Seb but struggling to fit it in this weekend - what with Rob Key on Saturday for the batting and Geraint Jones on Sunday for the keeping ;-)
Darryl? I think Seb is in better hands with those guys rather than a cricketing dinosaur like me!
On another note MLC, a mutual friend of ours has informed me that he'd heard that a former opening Club quickie recently retired from the Police force (who you played with more than I did) is going to be doing some coaching at Kent. But then our friend heard it from his brother and his brother might have meant "in Kent" as opposed to "at Kent."
Anyway, talking about top class coaching, really appreciate your recent kind offer of a 1-2-1 with Seb but struggling to fit it in this weekend - what with Rob Key on Saturday for the batting and Geraint Jones on Sunday for the keeping ;-)
Darryl? I think Seb is in better hands with those guys rather than a cricketing dinosaur like me!
On another note MLC, a mutual friend of ours has informed me that he'd heard that a former opening Club quickie recently retired from the Police force (who you played with more than I did) is going to be doing some coaching at Kent. But then our friend heard it from his brother and his brother might have meant "in Kent" as opposed to "at Kent."
Anyway, talking about top class coaching, really appreciate your recent kind offer of a 1-2-1 with Seb but struggling to fit it in this weekend - what with Rob Key on Saturday for the batting and Geraint Jones on Sunday for the keeping ;-)
On another note MLC, a mutual friend of ours has informed me that he'd heard that a former opening Club quickie recently retired from the Police force (who you played with more than I did) is going to be doing some coaching at Kent. But then our friend heard it from his brother and his brother might have meant "in Kent" as opposed to "at Kent."
Anyway, talking about top class coaching, really appreciate your recent kind offer of a 1-2-1 with Seb but struggling to fit it in this weekend - what with Rob Key on Saturday for the batting and Geraint Jones on Sunday for the keeping ;-)
AA - how did Seb's training go ?
Thanks for asking MOL.
I have to say Rob Key was brilliant - he spent time with each and every one of the boys and left them with something to be positive about.
In Seb's case he thought his technique was excellent for a boy not yet 13 ("as good as a lot of 18 year olds") and didn't want him to change anything bar telling him not to show his annoyance with himself to the bowler when he hasn't completely hit one in the middle. And also, because of his slight stature, he suggested that Seb has a higher back lift.
Seb explained that against the really quick stuff he didn't feel confident with the higher back lift because he wasn't sure that he would be able to get the bat down in time. So Key asked Seb what sort of pace he was capable of facing to which he replied "about 68mph". After coaching him on the bowling machine and Seb hitting virtually everything in the middle, with a higher back lift, he asked Seb to go and look at what speed Key had set the machine at - and it was 74mph. Min, who was watching Seb and upon hearing from Key about the speed, called Seb "a little Virat Kohli". So, needless to say, he came away beaming and confident that he can face anything from his age group and county level and beyond.
On Sunday was the wicket keeping which is run by Simon Willis (Kent Academy Director) along with Geraint Jones and Simon's dad, Ray (also coaches Kent young players). It is easy to forget that until last season Seb was a batsman/leg spinner and actually kept for the first time in a game playing for Kent last May. So for Simon to confirm that his keeping has come on a bundle was a big boost to Seb - so much so that I think we can safely say Seb is much more likely to be a Billings than a Warne!
Tonight is back down to Canterbury for the continuation of Seb's winter trials - a long old day for the boy given that they don't finish 'til gone 9.00 and we live in Sidcup. And tomorrow he has Bexley CC training.
And all this pre season - good job he loves the sport!
Re: the bowling machine, it's amazing how much quicker it is than you realise when you don't actually know what the number is!
That is so true. Seb has faced 70mph before but, actually knowing that beforehand, only served to make him nervous. And of course the first thing that was happening is that the feet stop moving which meant that Seb was throwing the hands at the ball rather than getting in line.
It's the same thing with reputations - there's a lad who opens the bowling for Surrey called Nathan Barnwell in Seb's age group and he is reputed to be one of the fastest in the country. Seb has faced him three times now including when opening at the Oval last year. Prior to the first game all the talk among the boys was about how fast Barnwell was etc etc but he didn't get Seb out and that in itself served as a lesson that you play the ball and not the bowler. All part of his education.
enjoy reading about his progress. when captaining Kent from behind the stumps in a few years, can always bring himself on as a golden arm with an over or two of spin.
Glad to see Kent signings players again, I guess our finances must be better than before. I assume that in the shorter forms he won't be able to play as well as Rabada, or are you allowed 2 overseas players now?
Glad to see Kent signings players again, I guess our finances must be better than before. I assume that in the shorter forms he won't be able to play as well as Rabada, or are you allowed 2 overseas players now?
I think you are allowed 2 in t20, but not in the other formats
Kent release Harmison and show an improved financial performance. Thankfully one of my sporting teams is showing signs of heading in the right direction!
Kent release Harmison and show an improved financial performance. Thankfully one of my sporting teams is showing signs of heading in the right direction!
Can't believe we've brought in someone who has a Test average of almost 40 for a Durham and Kent legend who averages 28 in first class cricket, 23 in one day matches and 12 in T20s ;-)
Comments
Edit - the Titanic has sunk.
Anyway, talking about top class coaching, really appreciate your recent kind offer of a 1-2-1 with Seb but struggling to fit it in this weekend - what with Rob Key on Saturday for the batting and Geraint Jones on Sunday for the keeping ;-)
The Johannesburg-born paceman impressed against England on their tour, taking 22 wickets in three Tests and nine wickets in four one-day internationals.
Rabada said: “I will play hard and try my best. I want to learn from the experience - particularly bowling in different conditions. Most of all I am looking forward to enjoying the experience.”
He will join Kent in late June after South Africa’s tri-series against Australia and West Indies in the Caribbean until he is due to report back for international duty against New Zealand in August subject to Cricket South Africa issuing the requisite ‘No Objection Certificate’.
Rabada is in line to make his NatWest T20 Blast debut against Sussex Sharks at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence on Thursday 30 June and is in contention to face Essex Eagles (away, July 1), Somerset (away, July 7), Gloucestershire (away, July 8), Surrey (Tunbridge Wells, July 15) and Essex Eagles (The Spitfire Ground, July 22).
During his stay, there are County Championship matches against Essex (Chelmsford, July 3-6) and Sussex (Tunbridge Wells, July 17-20) as well as a Royal London One-Day Cup match against Middlesex (Lord's, July 24).
Kent Cricket chairman George M Kennedy CBE said: “We’ve all been hugely impressed by Kagiso in the recent series against England and I’m looking forward to seeing him playing for Kent this summer.
“He follows in the footsteps of a number of South Africans and I hope he enjoys his spell at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence and that Kent will become his county of choice for this very promising young bowler in future years.”
I think Seb is in better hands with those guys rather than a cricketing dinosaur like me!
Well done Kent
I have to say Rob Key was brilliant - he spent time with each and every one of the boys and left them with something to be positive about.
In Seb's case he thought his technique was excellent for a boy not yet 13 ("as good as a lot of 18 year olds") and didn't want him to change anything bar telling him not to show his annoyance with himself to the bowler when he hasn't completely hit one in the middle. And also, because of his slight stature, he suggested that Seb has a higher back lift.
Seb explained that against the really quick stuff he didn't feel confident with the higher back lift because he wasn't sure that he would be able to get the bat down in time. So Key asked Seb what sort of pace he was capable of facing to which he replied "about 68mph". After coaching him on the bowling machine and Seb hitting virtually everything in the middle, with a higher back lift, he asked Seb to go and look at what speed Key had set the machine at - and it was 74mph. Min, who was watching Seb and upon hearing from Key about the speed, called Seb "a little Virat Kohli". So, needless to say, he came away beaming and confident that he can face anything from his age group and county level and beyond.
On Sunday was the wicket keeping which is run by Simon Willis (Kent Academy Director) along with Geraint Jones and Simon's dad, Ray (also coaches Kent young players). It is easy to forget that until last season Seb was a batsman/leg spinner and actually kept for the first time in a game playing for Kent last May. So for Simon to confirm that his keeping has come on a bundle was a big boost to Seb - so much so that I think we can safely say Seb is much more likely to be a Billings than a Warne!
Tonight is back down to Canterbury for the continuation of Seb's winter trials - a long old day for the boy given that they don't finish 'til gone 9.00 and we live in Sidcup. And tomorrow he has Bexley CC training.
And all this pre season - good job he loves the sport!
Re: the bowling machine, it's amazing how much quicker it is than you realise when you don't actually know what the number is!
It's the same thing with reputations - there's a lad who opens the bowling for Surrey called Nathan Barnwell in Seb's age group and he is reputed to be one of the fastest in the country. Seb has faced him three times now including when opening at the Oval last year. Prior to the first game all the talk among the boys was about how fast Barnwell was etc etc but he didn't get Seb out and that in itself served as a lesson that you play the ball and not the bowler. All part of his education.
enjoy reading about his progress.
when captaining Kent from behind the stumps in a few years, can always bring himself on as a golden arm with an over or two of spin.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/35670640
Kent release Harmison and show an improved financial performance. Thankfully one of my sporting teams is showing signs of heading in the right direction!
KCC also sold some land to free up cash - hope it doesn't back fire just for the sake of an overseas.