Kent Preview: Hampton and Hankins could make debut as Roderick targets third
13 September 2015
Seamer Tom Hampton (pictured) could be in line to make his Gloucestershire debut against Kent after injury ruled fellow pacemen Liam Norwell and Craig Miles out of the trip to Canterbury.
Academy batsman George Hankins and could also make his first senior appearance, having been named match-day squad for the first time.
The 18-year-old broke Kent batsman Daniel Bell-Drummond’s record for the most runs in a season at the prestigious Millfield School this year.
Allrounder Miles Hammond also returns to the squad as Glos have to do without Ian Cockbain (wrist), Peter Handscomb (international duty) and Michael Klinger (rested ahead of the RL Cup final).
Will Tavare will continue to captain the team, who are unbeaten in five Championship matches and sit sixth in the table.
Ahead of the match Gloucestershire wicketkeeper/batsman Gareth Roderick said the side are still chasing a third-placed finish in Division 2.
He said: “We want to finish as high as possible and I think third is a realistic goal for us now. That would also bode well for next season for us.”
Gareth says the side will take confidence from picking up victories on both of their last two visits to Canterbury.
He said: “We know how to play at that ground, we enjoy playing there and have been successful there in the past so we will look to emulate that again.”
And he says he is looking forward to renewing his friendly rivalry with Kent allrounder Matt Coles who he got to know over the winter in South Africa.
He said: “Matt Coles has had a very good year. I spent a bit of time with him in Durban during the off-season so there may be a bit of a personal battle going on there. But I am sure we will have a beer together after enjoying a few battles on the field.
“Although we are mates he will still try to get me out or hit me in the head and the last thing I want is for him to get on top of me and be able to have a few words about it.”
To listen to the full interview including Gareth talking about his own form, what it has been like to keep wicket to the Glos seam attack this year and the upcoming Lord’s final click below:
Gloucestershire squad: Will Tavare(c), Chris Dent, Gareth Roderick (w), Hamish Marshall, Benny Howell, Kieran Noema-Barnett, Jack Taylor, James Fuller, Tom Smith, David Payne, Tom Hampton, Miles Hammond, George Hankins.
Kent
Kent will go into the match against Gloucestershire in positive mood after an emphatic 316 run win over Glamorgan in their last match.
Joe Denly and Rob Key both hit hundreds before in-form seamer Darren Stevens and Matt Coles finished the job with the ball.
The victory was their first in red-ball cricket since they beat Essex in July and leaves them three points behind Monday’s visitors who have a game in hand.
They will have to do without talisman Rob Key for the visit of Gloucestershire after he picked up a hamstring injury in Cardiff. The former England man had been in prolific form in recent weeks having made over 500 runs at 75 since returning to the top of the order.
Kent squad (probable): Sam Northeast (captain), Daniel Bell-Drummond, Ben Harmison, Joe Denly, Sean Dickson, Darren Stevens, Ryan Davies, Matt Coles, Calum Haggett, Matt Hunn, Imran Qayyum, Adam Riley.
Key Man
Matt Coles has been a man re-born since re-joining Kent from Hampshire at the start of the season.
The powerful allrounder is the highest wicket-taker in Division 2 with 67 wickets at an average of 23.49.
His burst of four wickets for 10 runs in 17 balls in the second innings of Kent’s last match against Glamorgan saw him claim his 100th wicket of the season across all formats.
He also has the ability to contribute useful lower order runs as he demonstrated with 66 v Glos in the Championship match at Bristol and with his first ever List A 100 in the recent Royal London One-Day Cup defeat to Surrey.
This season has also seen him take his second career 10 wicket haul - match figures of 10-98 v Leicestershire in the County Championship – and a hat-trick v Notts in the RL Cup.
What They Say…
Speaking to the club’s official website Kent stalwart Rob Key says the number of exciting youngsters coming through gives plenty of reason for optimism at the Spitfire County Ground, St Lawrence.
He said: “I know we’ve not had a great season in terms of the championship, but I’m proud of how we’re going about things at Kent. We’ve got young batters showing sustained form and, for the first time in a long time, young bowlers coming through.”
Key added: “Colesy has led the attack superbly with 100 wickets and Matt Hunn has been outstanding.
“Then you’ve got Ivan Thomas and Calum Haggett, both improving with every game. They’re the core of a bowling unit that might serve us for the next 10 years.
“I see good times ahead for Kent because I feel the patience we’ve shown will stand us in good stead, in that we’ll all move forward as a unit. We’re looking to create an era at Kent, not something that lasts for a year.”
Last Time We Met
LV=County Championship, Division 2
May 18-21 at the Bristol County Ground
Gloucestershire 193 all out (Handscomb 69, Coles 3-29) and 282 all out (Marshall 83, Thomas 4-53)
Kent 235 all out (Coles 66, Norwell 4-44) and 243-2 (Denly 117 not out, Miles 1-49)
Kent won by 8 wickets
