Kent sign Scotland trio for Blast group stage conclusion

Kent remain without the vast majority of their first-team squad, who were forced to self-isolate for 10 days after an unnamed player in the matchday party for last Friday’s win over Surrey tested positive for Covid-19

Kent have signed Scotland trio Calum MacLeod, Safyaan Sharif and George Munsey for the final two matches of the T20 Blast group stage.

All three will be available for the county’s trip to Lord’s to face Middlesex on Friday night, as well as Sunday’s home clash with Sussex at Canterbury.

Kent remain without the vast majority of their first-team squad, who were forced to self-isolate for 10 days after an unnamed player in the matchday party for last Friday’s win over Surrey tested positive for Covid-19, with the other members of the group deemed to be close contacts.

Sam Billings is also unavailable, having recorded a positive test while on international duty with England against Sri Lanka. He confirmed in a tweet that he was one of the players unwell with the virus and that he had recovered, adding that ECB ‘return to play’ protocols would prevent him from making his return this weekend.

MacLeod, Munsey and Sharif have all played in English domestic cricket previously, with MacLeod now onto his fourth county following prior stints with Durham, Derbyshire and Sussex. Fellow batsman Munsey turned out for Hampshire in 2020 and has a T20I hundred for Scotland against the Netherlands. Seamer Sharif featured for Derbyshire in their 2018 Blast campaign and has claimed 49 T20I wickets.

Kent director of cricket Paul Downton said: “It has been a difficult week as we have sought to put a competitive T20 side together to fulfil our commitments following the isolation of our whole Vitality Blast squad this week.

“Calum, Safyaan and George are talented, experienced T20 cricketers who are excited to join us in our quest to secure a home quarter-final in this competition.”