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By Glenn Pearson
Kent's planned pre-season fixture against Nottinghamshire has been cancelled due to heavy rain in Canterbury.
The county were due to play a two-day game starting today, followed by a one-day match against the same opposition on Friday, but Notts decided against travelling down due to a gloomy forecast for the next few days.
The county were hopeful of giving the majority of the squad a go in both games, as well as a few triallists, although all-rounder Azhar Mahmood and batsman Sam Northeast weren't included. Mahmood, the former Pakistan international, is playing in a Twenty20 tournament in Dubai for six days, while Northeast is attending his brother’s wedding in America.
The players reported for outdoor training last week and were able to get outside for the majority of the week. Simon Cook, Mahmood, Martin van Jaarsveld, Amjad Khan and Darren Stevens all returned after spending time playing abroad, while all-rounder Alex Blake arrived back this week.
The club will now look to next Saturday's warm-up game against Loughborough UCCE at St Lawrence which head coach Paul Farbrace said will be vital to learning who will make the side for the opening LV= County Championship game at Notts.
“By the beginning of that last week of pre-season we will all have a good idea of what we think that team looks like,” he said. “The batting pretty much sorts itself out, with a very settled top four, but Keysey [Rob Key] has a shape of a team in mind to put out for the first game and we have been discussing that, while Geraint Jones and Martin van Jaarsveld will have a say in that as senior players.
“I think we have a good idea of our championship team and the 40-over side, but we are not going to focus on Twenty20 until nearer the time. It’s a good position to be in when you know you have a settled batting line-up and therefore one or two of the fringe batters will have to play really well to nick a place early on.
“Everyone knows we have a small staff therefore they all know they have a genuine chance of playing in the first game of the season which is what you want.”
Fast bowlers Khan and Robbie Joseph will be integral to Kent’s fortunes this summer. The club were given a boost last week when Joseph was given the all-clear by a consultant to step up the workload after having a shoulder operation last year.
Farbrace said: “They are our cutting edge, we have to take care of them, not wrap them in cotton wool but we do need them to run in and bowl with a bit of pace because the rest of our attack is about consistency and line and length and those two are our matchwinners.”
POSTED: 31/03/2010 08:00:00