Kent

[JasonP]

Squad

Buttleman
Rossington
Westley
Pepper
Critchley
Walter
Sams
Harmer
Nijjar
Snater
Cook
Allison
Richards

Allison and Richards to be left out?  It's going to be a stuggle again this season, you'd think.  On the positive side we have decent depth in the batting with Nijjar and Snater possibly at 9 and 10 so maybe that can make up a little bit for the lack of quality at the top of the innings.  Lawrence is a big miss.  The bowling looks a bit better.  Both Nijjar and Critchley have pretty decent records over the last couple of years so with Harmer, Sams and Cook it looks ok with the third seamer a weak link.

[vim]

In the same fixture last year did one of the Essex bowlers have a number of dropped catches? All by the same man in his garden just outside the ground.

[dazedpenguin]

I think the team is a lot stronger than last season with the addition of Rossington and Critchley. Much depends on Sams who has been in good form with the ball, but dreadful form with the bat. Lawrence missing out is a big loss. When he gets back this is a decent team.

[nat]

I think the team is a lot stronger than last season with the addition of Rossington and Critchley. Much depends on Sams who has been in good form with the ball, but dreadful form with the bat. Lawrence missing out is a big loss. When he gets back this is a decent team.

I'll hold you to that.

[SirChef26]

If Rossington fails to fire at the top of the order, we'll finish bottom of the group. We've plenty of bats capable of pretty 20s or 30s going at a run a ball, but he's the only player with Lawrence injured capable of playing that big match winning innings of say 70 runs plus at breakneck speed whether we're batting first or second. We've got depth but little genuine quality and ditto with the ball. I'm afraid "decent" doesn't quite cut it in what is a stacked South Group.

By the way, the last time we beat Kent in T20 on their patch was 2016. Maybe we can do our bit for England and play Crawley into some sort of form at least...

[mawallace]

This is worth a read

https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/premium/t20_blast_2022_team_guide_essex_eagles.html

[dazedpenguin]

Well, I was attempting to be optimistic ahead of the first game. It is a much better team than last year, it may not be good enough to get out of the group, but I don't think the games will be as painful to watch as last year's. I'd agree with The Cricketer's assessment of a lack of power hitters and much depends on Sams finding his range, Rossington getting the team off to a good start and Pepper building on the promise of last year. I will stay upbeat, at least for now.

[dazedpenguin]

Allison preferred to Snater. Essex lost the toss and will chase.

[Heisenberg]

Really hope Im wrong but just don't know what the club sees in Buttleman.

Presume Khushi is injured?

Surprised Benkenstein not in the squad too.

And Wheater just not in the picture anymore then?

[Slogger]

Pretty good, that. Sounds like we did well

[nat]

get in. Never doubted them.

[dazedpenguin]

A good win. Always good to beat Kent. I thought Buttleman, Rossington, Walter and Harmer all batted well and using Westley lower down the order has some potential. As for the bowling, Nijjar was exemplary as usual and the attack pulled it back well after an expensive start. I think Sams will do well as a bowler, but he continued his horrendous run of batting form from the IPL.

Much better than last year already (although that isn't a high bar).

[JasonP]

A good win. Always good to beat Kent. I thought Buttleman, Rossington, Walter and Harmer all batted well and using Westley lower down the order has some potential. As for the bowling, Nijjar was exemplary as usual and the attack pulled it back well after an expensive start. I think Sams will do well as a bowler, but he continued his horrendous run of batting form from the IPL.

Much better than last year already (although that isn't a high bar).

Last years first match was almost identical to this one.  We won at Somerset by 3 wkts chasing 186 to win. 

[dazedpenguin]

I suppose I just remember last season as unremittingly awful. I see that team had Harmer at 7 and a seam attack of Cook, Porter and Plom.

[SirChef26]

You wouldn't be happy as a Kent fan, going from Adam Milne to Matt Quinn this year. That's gotta go down as one of the biggest cricketing downgrades you could find and it sounds like we took advantage in the 19th.

Was a super night at the Roses. Worst umpiring I've seen at a limited overs match possibly ever, but it helped contribute to a thrilling finish. Both teams will have kicked themselves not to have won. The 16.4 will have to flog a lot of free tickets to match that crowd this summer.