Kent Cricket 2022

randy andy said:

Played a few games with Gavin at Sidcup in my teens, just before he went to Yorkshire

I was the first to give Gavin the opportunity to open the batting for an adult team when I skippered the Sunday 2s - he was 13 at the time and made about 20. I also used to have a bet every week with this dad, Gavin Snr, that the 2s would score more than the 3s who he used to play for on a Sunday. Lovely family but sadly Gavin Snr, Gavin's Mum, Wendy and his older brother, Andy (aka Hoots) have all since passed away.

Kent are playing their first warm up match for the season against Warwickshire today. Kent are batting and the interesting aspect it that DBD is back to opening - with Compton. It it Cox that has been dropped down the order to 5 which suggests that Compton, especially as the only left hander in our order, will be the guaranteed opener at the start of the season and that DBD might be his partner until such time as Crawley becomes available - at which point he will either be left out or replace Cox at 5. When Billings then returns at the end of May, until Crawley returns to England, two from Cox, DBD and Robinson will, no doubt, be omitted. 

We are currently 71-0 off 30 overs with Compton 36* (104) and DBD 34* (76)

Live stream link below

https://www.kentcricket.co.uk/fixture/kent-vs-warwickshire/ 

killerandflash said:

Addick Addict said:

Kent are playing their first warm up match for the season against Warwickshire today. Kent are batting and the interesting aspect it that DBD is back to opening - with Compton. It it Cox that has been dropped down the order to 5 which suggests that Compton, especially as the only left hander in our order, will be the guaranteed opener at the start of the season and that DBD might be his partner until such time as Crawley becomes available - at which point he will either be left out or replace Cox at 5. When Billings then returns at the end of May, until Crawley returns to England, two from Cox, DBD and Robinson will, no doubt, be omitted. 

We are currently 71-0 off 30 overs with Compton 36* (104) and DBD 34* (76)

Live stream link below

https://www.kentcricket.co.uk/fixture/kent-vs-warwickshire/ 

Incredibly lucky weather for March, don't they normally go overseas (in non Covid times) to practice in March?

I imagine Kent will play around with the batting order a bit, I can't see Compton with his uninspiring previous record for Notts being an automatic pick to open the batting

They've gone from training indoors this season to out in the middle in a specially erected tent!!! My spies tell me that it worked well until the minimal number of wickets became very worn and batsmen were somewhat apprehensive of facing the bowling. 

Compton did really well for us in the 2s last season. A bit like a horse moving stables or a footballer moving clubs, sometimes sportsmen just do better in a different environment. We signed him because of his 2s performances but also because he is that left hander - we must be the only County side in the country that hasn't had at least one of them - and that puts him ahead, in my opinion of Cox who has gone backwards in red ball since he scored that 238* - take that out and his average drops from 32.46 to 24.53. Cox also averaged 27.57 last season and DBD was even worse at 26.18 so Compton doesn't have to improve that much to command a place. In fact, he's been playing First Class cricket in Zimbabwe where his scores have been:

33*
0
13*
102
109*
42
79
41
110
45
56
17
22

The standard might be questionable but it does prove that he can score runs and if he does get a score in these warm up games then I do think he will be first choice. As I have learnt from experience, counties tend to give opportunities to those that want to play in the team rather than those that they don't.

170-1 at tea

Denly 30* (57)
Cox 12* (26)