I make a boat load of changes for this T20 game. Firstly, because I really don’t care about it and, secondly, because we seem to have a really good squad for it.
Few sides aren’t improved at this level by being able to introduce Luke Wright, Jofra Archer et al.
So, we’re into the pyjamas and the hit and giggle cricket.
We lose the toss, again, and are asked to bowl.
Zac Crawley takes Archer for seven in the opening over before he chips one to George Munsey at mid on, and Kent are 23-1. Mitchell Claydon then gets in on the act as Shreyas Iyer goes for 1 as Shehan Jayasuriya pouches it at first slip.
I take both bowlers off after two overs, to save them for later, and bring on David Wiese and George Garton. Davey boy clean bowls Daniel Bell-Drummond for 26 and Kent are 43-3
Ravi Bopara and Laurie Evans bowl the bits and pieces overs and I then chuck Garton back on. He gets South African Heino Kuhn trapped in front for 38 and they’re 94-4
Evans, who I have picked as our number 3 batsman, looks like he can turn his arm over. Boy can he…
In the end, the miserly Evans bowls all four permissible overs for 21 runs. By comparison, Garton has taken a wicket but he’s cost 50 runs.
I bring Archer back into the attack. He gets Sam Billings for 46. 154-5. In the same over, he clean bowls Alex Blake for 4 and Kent are 158-6
Wiese bounces Darren Stevens, who flaps a cut shot to the waiting hands of Evans for 1, 159-7
Archer then catches Joe Denley for 44 off his own bowling, 171-8, and then has Hardus Viljoen caught to take Kent to 171-9.
Archer’s 5-36 are a new all time bowling record, so it really is good to have him back.
We need 172 at 8.6 an over. Unlike in the county championship, I am relaxed and chatting. This really is the fast food of cricket.
Luke Wright hits the very first ball of the innings from Stevens for a 6, and then takes a 4 later on in the over to put us ahead of the rate. Plus, banter.
At the other end, Jayasuirya trots on and Wright then falls for 20 lbw to Harry Podmore, 30-1.
Both Evans and Jayasuriya are ticking on but not really doing enough. The Sri Lankan gets stumped off the bowling of Denly for 46 off 42 and we’re 93-2 and need 13.5 an over.
Travis Head does really well, but 34 from 6 is a bit much to ask and we lose by 30 runs.
The game is all over by 21:18 and I’m home by 22:30 and sleeping like a baby.
