Sam Billings hopes it will be third time lucky for Kent Spitfires against Lancashire Lightning in this Saturday’s Vitality T20 Blast quarter-final.
The teams will meet at Emirates Old Trafford, with a finals day place seven days later at Edgbaston at stake.
While Kent beat the Red Rose to win the One-Day Cup final three years ago, they have had less luck against the same opposition in the game’s shortest format.
Lancashire clinched victory by losing fewer wickets after the scores were tied in 2015 and, three years later, they earned a six-wicket win in Canterbury.
Matt Parkinson put in a man-of-the-match performance for Lancashire, returning 3-27, but has since left for Kent.
Spitfires skipper Billings said: “Even at Taunton festivals growing up, at under-12, under-13 and under-15 level, we always had epic games against Lancashire.
“They were always one game that went down to the last ball or were just great contests. I’m sure this will be another brilliant contest, as well.
“It’s a great ground and I’ve got very fond memories there. These are the kind of games you want to be involved in.
“We’re really looking forward to it and, hopefully, it’s third time lucky in a [T20] quarter-final against Lancashire.”
Kent squeezed into the knockout stages by virtue of finishing fourth after they won their final South group game against Essex in July.
Spitfires’ impressive work in the field had been a big component of the last Blast triumph in 2021, and while Billings feels the fielding has been improving throughout the tournament this summer, epitomised by a stunning catch by Dutch international fast bowler Fred Klaassen against Essex, the 34-year-old wicketkeeper thinks it can get better.
“We’re a way off,” said Billings. “I still think we need to improve that as an area.
“But moments like that (Klaassen’s catch) make a huge difference. If your fast bowler is doing that, there’s no reason why everyone else can’t do that.
“It’s definitely improved over the course of the tournament but it’s such a key component of the game.
“You see momentum switch so quickly after a dropped catch or a misfield here or there. Moments like that, they really change the game. I said that in our post-match meeting.
“It’s only once you play a bit of T20 cricket that you realise how important fielding is in this part of the game. It gets overlooked too many times and gets taken for granted.
“But it makes a huge difference and can change the course of campaigns – let alone games.”
Spitfires’ progression to the Blast knockout stages also means Pembury-born Billings’ Kent duties will continue into the final month of the English summer for the first time since he signed a white-ball contract in December 2023 as he again looks to lead the side to Blast glory.
Returning to Kent duty after he led the Oval Invincibles to a third successive Hundred title at Lord’s at the weekend, he said: “It means a huge amount, playing for this club, and qualifying this time is no different.
“We should be qualifying in this competition every year – that should be a non-negotiable.
“The fact we have done that, without playing our best cricket, without overseas players a lot of the time, makes me incredibly proud.
“Hopefully, we can get through our quarter-final against a very good team and then anything can happen once you get to finals day.
“But first, hopefully, we can get through that hurdle.”
