Head coach Adam Hollioake has hailed Kent batsman Zak Crawley as one of the great batsmen to watch across the world when he’s in form.
Crawley is due to play his final Spitfires match for now when they host Hampshire Hawks today (2.30pm start) in Canterbury before he returns to England duty, ahead of their five-game home Test series against India.
The 27-year-old has certainly delivered for Kent in their first three T20 Blast South group games, despite batting at No.3 rather than opening, scoring 37 from 17 balls in their opening-round four-run victory at defending champions Gloucestershire in Bristol.
He then struck 57 in Thursday’s washed-out match against Middlesex and also top scored with 46 the next night as Spitfires went down by 42 runs to Surrey.
“He’s just great to have around,” said Hollioake. “He’s a good human being.
“In terms of the ability he has got, you can really see that, with the slow swing of the bat. It’s beautiful to watch.
“When he’s on song, he’s one of the great batsman in the world to watch.”
Crawley returned to Blast duty with Sam Billings’ Spitfires, having scored his fifth Test century as he hit 124 in last month’s thumping England innings home win over Zimbabwe.
Hollioake noted: “He’s finding some form.
“He just started to find some form before he went away, played in that Test match for England – definitely found some form in the Test match – and he’s been great while he’s been with us.
“He’ll be missed but that’s an opportunity for someone else to step up.”
Batting all-rounder Joe Denly has also made his mark in the Blast after he suffered a broken arm while batting in nets ahead of the start of the summer.
Denly, 39, missed almost three months of last season between June and September with a knee injury, but has quickly found his rhythm on his injury return this time around.
“He’s batted well,” said Hollioake. “He batted really well at Bristol, as well, and I think that role, coming in at No.4 or No.5, just floating in that middle order, [works for him].
“For him to be able to strike the ball from ball one, not many people in the world can do that.
“It’s been great, especially with Joe coming off the back of injury.”
Kent have plenty of bowling options, too, with Australian overseas bowler Wes Agar bowling for the first time this summer in their home loss to Surrey.
Hollioake said: “We’re kind of looking after the bowlers.
“Tom Rogers and Wes Agar are just coming off the back of a few little injury concerns so we’re just keeping them under wraps and looking after them.
“We have actually got quite a nice stock of bowlers for the T20s – unlike what we’ve had in the Championship for the last month or so – so I feel like we’re in a good position, going forwards.
“Obviously, we have got to put some wins together, but I feel like we’re building quite nicely.
“We have got a nice, little, template for success.”
Kent will return to Blast action against Hampshire, less than 48 hours on from their defeat to Surrey, as they play for the third time in four days.
But Hollioake said: “It is what it is.
“These games come thick and fast, and you have just got to do what you have got to do. There’s no point in complaining about it.
“You have got to turn around, be in control of your mind, and it was only Thursday when we batted well at Lord’s and a couple days before that when we played well at Gloucestershire.
“So, it’s not panic stations or anything.”
Kent have named an unchanged 13-strong squad for their match against Hampshire Hawks.
Kent squad: Billings, Agar, Bell-Drummond, Crawley, Denly, Finch, Gilchrist, Klaassen, Leaning, Muyeye, Parkinson, Rogers, Stewart.
