LANGUISHING at the foot of the second division in the County Championship and losing hope of CB40 success, Kent needed to impress in their opening T20 games last week.

They didn’t.

Two defeats from two games at the hands of Middlesex and Surrey give Kent a huge challenge ahead to make the top two of the South Group and reach the quarter finals.

More frustrating facts to come as both games were at fortress Canterbury where the Spitfires have been dominant in years gone by and also that the team is now back to full strength after injuries and international call-ups.

These are worrying and somewhat confusing times if you’re a Kent fan as the core ability seems to be there but Jimmy Adams and the players cannot find an ounce of consistency or momentum.

Captain James Tredwell is back from his England heroics while Matt Coles and Sam Northeast have returned to side too, leaving no excuses for the poor start.

Long-serving wicket keeper Geraint Jones is yet to appear in the T20 this season, as Tredwell claimed the county are looking for a new man for behind the stumps with Jones coming to the end of his career.

The former England stopper is set to return on Friday, though, as the Spitfires host rivals Essex in a must-win game for both sides.

Loose bowling and sloppy batting is a recipe for disaster in any form of cricket, but especially in the shorter format where runs are needed and fast.

Anything can happen in T20, we all know that.

But Kent are bottom of two of the three divisions they are competing in and can’t even find a wicket keeper to play.

Well, moan over, things can only get better.

On a brighter note, the Spitfires did bring in pace bowler Vernon Philander as their overseas T20 player and the South African international took a stunning four wickets for eight runs in his three overs on debut, as well as scoring 11no and 13no in each game with the bat.

With Tredwell back, Darren Stevens still smashing sixes and Philander steaming in, we have a tiny bit of hope the season will pick up from now on. It has to.

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