Coles: 'I'm far from the finished product'

By Mark Pennell

Matt Coles, Kent's burly 21-year-old all-rounder, goes into the England Lions four-day game against the West Indies at Northampton today in the best form of his young career - with both bat and ball.

Coles has 27 wickets in all competitions already in this rain-ravaged season, including a career-best six for 51 against Northamptonshire in Kent's first County Championship win of the season. It is a reward for hitting the pitch hard and getting the ball through at a sharp pace even on the soft surfaces of April and early May.

And Coles's summer began, back in the first week of April, with a maiden first-class hundred in Kent's Championship opener against Yorkshire at Headingley. All in all, then, his Lions selection has been richly-deserved.

"I have to say I was over the moon about getting my first hundred at Headingley," said Coles. "I hope it’s the first of many. For the first week in April it was a good pitch and I just set out to play each ball on merit, which is all that Jimmy Adams (the new Kent head coach) has been telling us to do.

"I got a bit giddy when I reached 70, but calmed down and reined in the shots. Sure, I was running out of partners, but Mark Davies came in and batted very well for me at the other end. He told me he’s a bit of a hustler when it comes to his batting, and he showed it that day. He was making me laugh so much I found myself chuckling to myself between overs and that really helped keep me level-headed as I got closer to the milestone.
      
"I wasn’t expecting to walk off from the first game with a hundred not out. I’m so pleased, but I have to build on that now and try to repeat that a couple more times this year.

"The six wickets at Wantage Road wasn’t quite up there with the hundred, but at least it was in a winning cause. It was a good team performance and again showed that things are coming along at Kent cricket.
 
"I got two five-fours last year and wasn’t expecting to hit my straps so early so getting that six-for against Northants was a really pleasant surprise and a big positive for the rest of the season.

"I am trying to cut out those floaty deliveries that just drifted up to the batsman and usually disappeared to the ropes, which means I’ve pulled my length back a yard or so and am looking forward to hit the deck that little bit more and, with some more work on my wrist, hope to hit the seam more regularly. I’m far from the finished product, but it is all moving in the right directions."
         

Date: 10/05/2012 09:37:47 by Mark Pennell
In: Today | Kent |