Match Preview: Jack Taylor looking forward to Kent T20 test
4 June 2015
Allrounder Jack Taylor is going into Friday’s T20 Blast clash with South Group leaders Kent Spitfires full of confidence after scoring his maiden First Class hundred against Derbyshire earlier this week.
The 23-year-old made 120 in his first County Championship innings of the season after an impressive run of form in the T20 Blast and Second XI.
The Oxfordshire-born player has made four hundreds for the second team and hit his second highest T20 score (36) against Sussex Sharks on May 17.
He said: “It was a fantastic feeling to make my maiden First Class hundred. I have been in good form in the Second XI and I was told by Richard Dawson and Geraint Jones to just go out and play the same way against Derbyshire and luckily it paid off.
“There were a few nerves before going in but that can be a good thing. I just tried to get used to the pace of the wicket early on and then play my natural game.”
And Jack, who has also impressed with the ball in recent matches, says he hopes his good form will continue across the different forms of the game.
He said: “You try to approach things in the same way across the three formats– its transferable skills. You are still trying to score runs, take wickets and win matches and that’s something that comes from an internal motivation. The main difference is that you have to perform in front of bigger crowds – particularly with the T20 and that can bring a bit more pressure.”
Gloucestershire – who are joint second in the table - have won two of their first three matches, including a 34 run win over Essex at Bristol last time out.
They face Kent at Beckenham on Friday night. And Jack says the team are looking forward to taking on a Spitfires side that has won four of their five Blast matches this season.
He said: “They are a side in form at the moment and have some dangerous players. But the atmosphere in our squad is really relaxed and confident at the moment. We’ve had some good wins in the Championship and the T20 and there is a lot of healthy competition throughout the squad.
“If we can go down there and turn them over it will raise confidence even further and put us in a great position in the group.”
Team News
Gloucestershire have made just one change from the squad from the Essex Eagles match with Robbie Montgomery missing out.
Kent are unchanged from the squad that beat Somerset on Sunday.
Gloucestershire From:
(2) Michael Klinger (capt), (15) Chris Dent, (28) Ian Cockbain, (54) Peter Handscomb, (9) Hamish Marshall, (8) Geraint Jones (wkt), (11) Kieran Noema-Barnett, (13) Benny Howell, (10) Jack Taylor, (26) James Fuller, (6) Tom Smith, (14) David Payne, (36) Matt Taylor.
Kent Spitfires From:
(17) Sam Northeast (capt), (23) Daniel Bell-Drummond, (6) Joe Denly, (20) Sam Billings (wkt), (30) Fabian Cowdrey, (3) Darren Stevens, (10) Alex Blake, (26) Matt Coles, (25) Calum Haggett, (18) David Griffiths, (33) Adam Riley, (24) Adam Ball, (8) Mitch Claydon.
Opta Stats
- Gloucestershire’s win at Bristol last season was their first in seven attempts against Kent.
- Nine of Kent’s last 10 T20s have been won by the team batting first.
- Only Chris Gayle has a higher boundary run percentage than Joe Denly (81.3%) this season, minimum 50 balls faced.
- Tom Smith’s hat-trick in his county’s last match against Essex Eagles was the first recorded by a Gloucestershire player.
- The Spitfires have won six of their last seven games.
View from the Opposition
After leading his side a dramatic victory against Somerset last time out – despite a remarkable 151* from Chris Gayle - Kent captain Sam Northeast (pictured)spoke to the club website.
He said: “It was an incredible game and Chris' innings was one of the best things I have ever seen. But special credit has to go to our bowlers who stuck to their plan and kept believing.
"Our death bowling has been brilliant in this competition so far and has won us a few games this year.
“I was happy with the guys and my innings (114) and the guys around me, the momentum never stopped and to get 220 anywhere is a good effort.
“With four out of five this year we are a team going in the right direction.”
Key Man
Kent captain Sam Northeast is the highest run-scorer in this year’s T20 Blast competition with 330 from five matches.
He is also top of the Professional Cricketer’s Association (PCA) MVP list and scored 114 in his last outing against Somerset and 96 vs Surrey in the previous game.
The former England Under 19 has a strike rate of 131 and an average of over 31 in T20s.
Recent Form
After narrowly missing out on a quarter final spot in 2014, the Spitfires have won four of their first five T20 matches this year and currently top the South Group.
Their only loss this season came against Middlesex at Lord’s but they have since bounced back with victories over Surrey and Somerset.
Head-to-Head
| Kent Spitfires | Gloucestershire | |
| Games | 7 | 7 |
| Won | 6 | 1 |
| Loss | 1 | 6 |
| Tied | 0 | 0 |
| Win % | 85.7% | 14.3% |
Last Time We Met
NatWest T20 Blast South Group
June 27 2015
Bristol County Ground
Kent 150-6 (Northeast 75) (McCarter 2-26)
Gloucestershire 154-7 (Rouse 35 not out) (Claydon 3-24)
Gloucestershire won by 3 wickets
