Match Preview: Kent Spitfires v Hampshire Hawks Men, Vitality Blast

Kent Spitfires v Hampshire Hawks Men

Vitality Blast

Sunday 8^th June (2:30pm start)

The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury

Hampshire Hawks Men return to action against Kent Spitfires at Canterbury after their win against Gloucestershire at Utilita Bowl on Friday night.

Hawks Men have recorded their best start to the Blast since 2017 having won all three of their matches so far.

Toby Albert’s career-best 73* helped the Hawks chase down a modest target of 120 after John Turner’s 3-28 led the attack, with two each for Chris Wood, Benny Howell, and Scott Currie.

Kent meanwhile have won one and lost one, with one no result, from their three matches.

Despite runs from Zak Crawley, 46, against Surrey, they failed to chase down 194 for victory.

Hampshire Squad

Hampshire have named a 13-player squad for their match against Kent.

The group is unchanged from Friday’s victory at Utilita Bowl against Gloucestershire.

Hampshire pacer Chris Wood is five wickets away from completing 200 wickets in the Vitality Blast whilst James Fuller is one wicket away from 50 T20 wickets for Hampshire.

Hampshire Hawks Men

Kent Spitfires

Captain: Sam Billings

Overseas players: Wes Agar (Australia, all group matches) Tom Rogers (Australia, all group matches)

Finals Day appearances: Four (2007, 2008, 2009, 2021)

Titles: Two (2007, 2021)

2024 finish: Ninth (South Group)

2024 leading run scorer: Sam Billings (411)

2024 leading wicket taker: Matt Parkinson (16)

Key winter moves: Rogers was an emergency signing last year and enjoyed himself so much he said he’d come back for free (although he is being paid). Agar was only supposed to play red-ball cricket last year but did enough as emergency cover to earn a multi-format deal. Chris Benjamin’s arrival from Bears should add some firepower.

The big question: Will the return of Fred Klaassen galvanise a bowling unit that was badly exposed last year? The Dutch international missed most of 2023 and all of 2024. Inexperienced replacements were severely punished for the slightest lapses in length, line or both, but Klaassen offers both a wicket-taking threat and a level of discipline and control severely lacking last season.

Final thought: Does any side blow as hot and cold as Kent have done in the last few seasons? They won the Blast in 2021, finished bottom of the South Group in 2022, were unlucky not to reach the quarter-finals in 2023 and struggled again in 2024. If this pattern continues they should be due a good season, and seven of the 2021 champions (Crawley, Bell-Drummond, Joe Denly, Billings, Leaning, Stewart and Klaassen) remain at the club.

Tickets

Tickets for Hampshire Hawks Men’s Vitality Blast match against Kent Spitfires are available here.

Coverage

A live stream will be available for the match and a link to this stream will be available in the at www.utilitabowl.com/cricket, along with a live match centre with the scorecard, statistics and insight available throughout the match.

Weather Forecast

Please follow the link to view the latest weather forecast for Canterbury: https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2653877.