More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Home Canterbury Sport Article
Skipper Joe Denly is calling upon Kent’s squad to focus on themselves ahead of the Royal London One-Day Cup final.
While the Spitfires will not be adding to their squad for Saturday’s showpiece at Trent Bridge despite the players who played in The Hundred now being available, Lancashire head coach Glen Chapple looks set to go with his strongest side.
Denly has no qualms about Lancashire bringing those players in - although in reality a lot of those players will be on international duty with England anyway - but Denly says he doesn’t think it matters who plays against the Spitfires.
“It’s their choice, isn’t it?" said Denly, who has captained Kent to five wins in their last six one-day cup games.
"I have spoken to the lads, I don’t care what team they put out. It shouldn’t affect the way we go about our business.
“As long as we’re focusing on what we bring to the table, what we do well, and what’s worked for us - especially in the last four or five games - it doesn’t matter what team they put out in my eyes.”
Denly, 36, missed Kent’s first three Royal London One-Day Cup matches this summer through injury and his return coincided with the team’s upturn in fortunes.
“It’s gone all right this year, it’s been good,” he said.
“It was frustrating to miss out in the first three games. Since I have been back in, the boys have been great.
“The way the boys have responded, especially to the first few games and few losses, the last five or six games for us have pretty much [been] knock-out cricket and cup finals within themselves. That puts us in a good position going into Saturday.”
Denly captained Kent when they reached the 2018 final, losing out to Hampshire, and while skipper Sam Billings returned for the final on that occasion, Denly leads the team this time around.
“It’s very special,” said the Whitstable man, on leading his home county in a final.
“I think, for all the players involved in a cup final, it’s always special. You target winning trophies at the beginning of the season and we are in a final.
“We had a chat this week and I said, for me, forget that word ‘cup final’, it’s just another game and whoever deals with that pressure best on the day, will probably come out on top.”
Since their semi-final win over Hampshire, Kent have lost to Essex in County Championship Division 1, but they will look to return to winning ways when it matters most.
“Since qualifying for the final, I think playing the red-ball game against Essex was first priority for the boys, but now it’s all on the final,” Denly said.
“We have a solid five days of preparations to get us in the best frame of mind and the best shape possible.
“Trent Bridge is a beautiful ground, as we know, and it’s a high-scoring ground.
“The boys are looking forward to getting up there on Friday, having a training session and soaking it all in.”
Kent earned a two-wicket victory against Lancashire at The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury, to book their place in the knock-out stages before away wins against Leicestershire and Hampshire.
Denly said: “It’s nice to be one up on them I suppose but I don’t think that’ll play a part on us or them on Saturday.
“They’re a very good outfit, one of the strongest teams within the group stages. I think both teams can go into the day very confident.”
While Denly, and departing all-rounder Darren Stevens, have been there before, for some younger members of the squad, it’ll be a first taste of playing a major final.
Denly hopes that means it won't be down to the older faces to carry the team through.
"I think it helps having guys who have played in finals and big games before certainly," he said.
“It’s a confident bunch of lads that we have got here. Like I touched on before, we have had to almost play knock-out cricket in the last few group games - then obviously the quarter-final and the semi-final - and I think they dealt with the pressures of that fantastically well.
“Hopefully us experienced guys won’t need to play too big of a part!”
