Match times, streaming information, tickets and travel, team news, weather forecast, form, prediction and everything else you need to know ahead of the penultimate round of the Vitality Blast...
Fixture: Kent Spitfires v Sussex Sharks
Venue: Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury
Date: Sunday, July 18, 2021
Start time: 6.30pm
What’s the lowdown?
Table-topping Kent Spitfires host a Sussex Sharks side which has its destiny in its own hands. Sussex sit pretty in third going into this one, with a superior net run rate to all those teams challenging for a last-eight berth.
Win, and they are guaranteed a place in the quarter-finals, and they might just get home advantage too, if Gloucestershire beat Somerset.
Lose, and they may still just about squeak through on run rate.
Lose heavily, and they open the door for Hampshire Hawks.
Kent, meanwhile, keep on floating serenely through the group stage and will finish first whatever the result here.
Who’s in form?
With Kent's regular T20 team isolating, Friday night's hastily thrown-together XI managed an emphatic win at Lord's, dismissing Middlesex for 80.
Heino Kuhn and Harry Finch made entertaining 40s with the bat, while wickets were shared out among an impressive bowling quintet, which included on-loan Scotland seamer Safyaan Sharif.
Sussex have relied on runs from Luke Wright and Phil Salt this season, while Ravi Bopara popped up with a quick 62 in defeat by Hampshire las time out.
With the ball, teenager Archie Lenham continues to impress. Lenham has 10 wickets at 16.2 in this year's Blast, with an economy rate below 8.
What’s the team news?
Kent Spitfires: Kent have named an unchanged squad from their miraculous victory over Middlesex, with Scottish trio Callum MacLeod, George Munsey and Safyaan Sharif retaining their places.
Kent squad: Zak Crawley, Harry Finch, Joe Gordon, Elliot Hooper, Heino Kuhn, Dan Lincoln, Callum MacLeod, George Munsey, Marcus O'Riordan, Harry Padmore, Hamid Qadri, Matt Quinn, Safyaan Sharif
Sussex Sharks: Sussex have named the same 15-man squad which lost to Hampshire on Friday. Rashid Khan and Phil Salt are included while George Garton (isolation) and Tymal Mills (injury) miss out.
Sussex squad: Luke Wright (c), Will Beer, Ravi Bopara, Oli Carter, Mitch Claydon, Henry Crocombe, Travis Head, Rashid Khan, Archie Lenham, Ali Orr, Delray Rawlins, Ollie Robinson, Phil Salt, Harrison Ward, David Wiese
Last five T20 results (most recent first)
Kent Spitfires: WWWAL
Sussex Sharks: LWWLA
Head-to-head T20 record
Total matches: 28
Kent Spitfires wins: 14
Sussex Sharks wins: 11
Tied: 1
Abandoned: 7
No result: 2
What’s the weather forecast?
Check out the Met Office's rolling forecast for Canterbury. Click here
Tickets
This match is sold out.
Travel
Address: St Lawrence, Old Dover Rd, Canterbury CT1 3NZ
By car: Park & Ride, Old Dover Road, Canterbury, CT1 3EJ
This car park is situated a 10-15 minute walk or a short bus ride from the ground. The cost is £3.50 per day for a car and up to six passengers.
On matchdays, there is no one-off parking at the ground for spectators. However, there are limited disabled/blue badge parking spaces held in reserve at a daily rate of £15 per day. Parking is available in the ground on day four of the County Championship, subject to capacity.
By bus: The bus to and from town stops in front of the turnstiles on Old Dover Road. Alternatively, you can use the Park and Ride and Stagecoach services from New Dover Road, which will return you to the Park & Ride car park. Stagecoach buses 15, 16 and 17 will be available from 7.30pm until 11.30pm with a valid park & ride ticket.
By train: Canterbury East station is just one mile from the ground, whilst Canterbury West is slightly further at one and a half miles.
How do I follow the match?
This match will be streamed live on Kent's YouTube channel and website. Click here
All T20 Blast matches are also available via the ECB's central hub: Click here
The matches can also be viewed on mobile via the ECB app.
Radio: All Vitality Blast fixtures will be available on BBC Local Radio stations with extensive coverage also on 5 Live Sports Extra.
Digital: The Cricketer will carry live scorecards and updates from every Vitality Blast match in 2021, as well as the latest breaking news from around the counties and exclusive features. Visit our County Hub for more.
Prediction?
Kent's motley crew to experience defeat.
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South Group
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