April 1997 News Archive

Sunday 27th April

Kent go into their first B&H Zonal game tomorrow with a positive start to their one day campaign after they Kent cruised to victory in the first Sunday League game of the season. The sun shone at the St.Lawrence Ground as Derbyshire made 184-8 from their 40 overs after winning the toss and putting themselves in.

Khan's 71 not out held the visitors innings together as no less than four run-outs slowed the scoring rate. Kent's overseas player Paul Strang was the best bowler taking 2-34 from his eight overs. [Strang scores first runs in Kent]

The home team began a rapid reply with Matthew Fleming opening the innings and scoring 40 runs from 45 balls (6 fours). New player Alan Wells also impressed making 56 not out, but the Kent Player of the Match was undoubtedly Matthew Walker; his 80 included 11 boundaries and took just 68 balls to complete. [Walker's injury worry]

Scores:
Kent v Derbyshire, Sunday League, Canterbury, Kent won by 6 wkts
Derbyshire 184-8 (40 overs), Kent 185-4 (31.3 overs)

Saturday 26th April

Kent's first game of the season was abandoned as a draw. Derbyshire, needing 337 to win at the St.Lawrence Ground on the final day of four in the county championship, were on 248-3 when play was brought to an early end by rain at 23 minutes to five this afternoon. Adams scored 108 for Derbyshire for the visitors from 128 balls including 1 six and 14 fours, while Jones was left stranded on 99 not out at the close from 181 balls having scored 14 fours.

Kent could only take one wicket in the day's play, that of Adams, c Llong b McCague - whilst Derbyshire advanced from 59-2 to 248-3 with plenty of time left to coast to an easy victory. Rain had already interrupted proceedings earlier in the day at 12.03pm when Derbyshire were 127-2; the sparse number of spectators had to wait until mid-afternoon before the covers could be removed.

Scores at close of play:
Kent v Derbyshire, County Championship, Canterbury, Abandoned due to rain
Kent 251 & 333, Derbyshire 248 & 248-3

Friday 25th April

Scores at close of play Thu 24th April:
Kent v Derbyshire, County Championship, Canterbury, Day 2
Kent 251 & 174-5, Derbyshire 248

Kent batsman Trevor Ward ended yesterday on 95 not out in the championship match at Canterbury. His innings, including 18 fours remained consistent despite the collapse around him as Kent lost four wickets in seven overs. Earlier Derbyshire were dismissed for 248 giving Kent a three run first-innings lead and bringing them their 6th bonus point.
[Ward's unknown wrist injury]

1997 overseas player Paul Strang scored his first runs of the season in Kent as he ended the day 29 not out from just 24 balls. Coming in to bat at half past six he scored six fours before the close of play at four minutes past seven.
[Preview of Strang's first match]

Thursday 24th April

Kent had a mixed start to the season in their opening championship match against Derbyshire at the St.Lawrence Ground. Kent were dismissed for 251, at one stage in the day having lost four wickets in one hour, and with Devon Malcolm taking 6-74. Mark Eahlam held the innings together with 72 not out, while captain Steve Marsh scored 57. Derbyshire suffered a major collapse in the 13 overs of their innings that were bowled before the close and ended the day on 35-4, Martin McCague taking 3 wickets.

Wednesday 23rd April

Paul Strang, Kent overseas player for 1997, will play his first match of the season today. [Paul Strang in pre-season game] The legspinner is only the second Zimbabwean player to play as an overseas player for an English domestic county, and he says he believes experience is vital; having only played 33 first class games in 6 years (many of them test matches), he will have to adapt to an English season where he could play up to 20 games during the summer. [Paul Strang signs for Kent]

The team for today's opening game of the season against Derbyshire at Canterbury has been announced and is as follows: David Fulton, Nigel Llong, Trevor Ward, Alan Wells, Graham Cowdrey, Mark Eahlam, Paul Strang, Steve Marsh, Martin McCague, Min Patel, Dean Headley. There is no place in the side for Matthew Fleming, Matthew Walker and Alan Igglesden are both suffering from injuries. [Injuries of Matthew Walker and Alan Igglesden]

Monday 21st April

Kent secretary Stuart Anderson says that he is "broadly in favour" of the recent proposals of the English Cricket Board for a revamping of the county championship. There has been much speculation that the ECB may radically change the game, however Anderson feels there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the present arrangements of domestic cricket in England.

Friday 18th April

In their final pre-season game, Kent beat Surrey by 86 runs at the Oval yesterday. Kent scored 273-9 from their 50 overs and dismissed the home side for 187. Alan Igglesden took 3-32, Martin McCague also took 3 wickets. Fulton and Llong were the pick of the Kent batsmen with 74 and 69 respectively.

Paul Strang, Kent's new overseas player, made a moderate start to his time at the county scoring 10 runs and taking 1-46 in his 10 overs of leg spin.

Wednesday 16th April

Kent batsman Trevor Ward had his first net session today after suffering from a mystery wrist injury. Following the start of the problem, when his hand "flared-up" on the first day of pre-season training, Ward has only been in the nets once. However he is confident that he will recover sufficiently to play in Kent's first match on 23rd April.

Tuesday 15th April

Kent's new coach John Wright has just arrived on his flight from New Zealand, and today took his first team meeting at the St.Lawrence Ground. Wright played for Kent second XI in the summer of 1976. His experience also includes eight years with Derbyshire and he has toured England three times with New Zealand. Asked on the county's chances of winning a trophy in 1997, he said: "there's a lot of potential here at Kent". [Daryl Foster retires as Kent coach]

In Kent's second pre-season game against Durham University, new player Alan Wells scored his first century for the county. Matthew Fleming also made 93 as Kent comfortably beat the students by 192 runs at the St.Lawrence Ground.

Ed Smith scored 85 for Cambridge University on the first day of their match against Derbyshire at Fenners. He is one of three Kent players who have been picked for the British Universities squad this season. Smith, Jamie Ford and Will House may actually play against their home county in the Benson & Hedges Cup.

Monday 14th April

In their second pre-season match at Canterbury, Kent played a side from Durham University. Opener David Fulton made 201 not out against the students in Kent's 359/2 from their 50 overs.

Friday 11th April

In a pre-season practise match at Canterbury, Kent beat an Association of Kent Cricket Clubs XI by just under a hundred runs, scoring 316 for seven from 50 overs.

There are worries that Kent player Matthew Walker will miss the start of the season after damaging ligaments in his right knee during practise.

Contributed by William Turrell (william@cricinfo.com)

Date-stamped : 25 Dec1998 - 13:03