Head coach Matt Walker is urging Kent Spitfires’ players to throw the shackles off ahead of the start of their T20 Blast campaign.

Walker conceded Kent have had a tough start to their 2023 County Championship Division 1 summer, winning just one of their first six matches.

But with Gloucestershire set to visit The Spitfire Ground in Canterbury tonight, Walker wants 2021 Blast winners Kent - who endured a miserable title defence last summer - to leave their red-ball issues behind them for the time being.

On the beginning of their T20 Blast season, he said: “It’s exciting, as always.

“I think this time of year is probably the most exciting part of the year where, for supporters and players, juices start to flow. It’s an exciting brand of cricket.

“Obviously having been a pretty successful team in this format for the last five or six years, I think everyone starts to get their juices flowing and they start looking forward to playing some T20 cricket.

“It’s been a tough six weeks at the start of the year. Now, it’s a good opportunity to sort of throw the shackles off and really pay attention to a format that we’ve played some really good cricket in.

“Hopefully, we can start well. Hopefully, the lads can find the energy to start this competition in a really positive way. There should be no excuses.

“Obviously, it’s been a busy period but I think everyone’s in the same frame of mind.

“Everyone is looking forward to getting going and who knows? It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen in this competition because it’s such a volatile format.

“But I think we know, if we play to our best potential, then we’ve got a very good chance of pushing onto the later stages.”

Australian fast bowler Kane Richardson could be in line to make his Spitfires debut having signed for the entirety of their T20 Blast campaign.

“He’s been great ever since he walked through the door a couple of weeks ago,” Walker told the club.

“I think, when you have a world-class operator in your team, it gives everyone a real lift.

“That’s what he is. He’s been around for a long time and he’s played in the best leagues and played for Australia.

“To have him available for the whole competition gives us a real boost - not just on the field - but in and around the group with his experience and his know-how as well. The way he can help some of our younger bowlers is priceless.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing him get going and he definitely adds to our bowling group.

“It’s exciting for everyone to see someone like Kane Richardson turn up and play at the ground.”

Kent’s latest County Championship clash - a 10-wicket loss at Surrey - only finished on Saturday.

And while Walker admits the swift turnaround is challenging, he still believes there’s plenty of excitement around the camp at playing white-ball cricket.

He said: “It comes around quickly, that’s for sure.

“You’re in the middle of a Championship game and then, all of a sudden in a few days, you need to get your head spun around to play with a different colour ball in a different format under the lights.

“It’s not always straightforward but there’s always an excitement around it. Everyone wants to be in this team and everyone wants to play T20 cricket in front of a great crowd at Canterbury under the lights. It’s the best place to be.

“I think everyone wants to start the competition - and start really well. There’s real excitement.

“The nerves will be there, the excitement and anticipation will be there, as it always is before any T20 game, certainly that first one brings that real energy through the group.

“Everyone’s excited, we’ve had a really good practice and everyone looks in a really good place.

“Hopefully, we can transfer that into the middle.”

Kent, who have launched a brand-new streaming service - KentCricketPlay - for all untelevised home T20 matches in 2023, have named a 13-strong squad for the Gloucestershire game.

Along with Richardson, recently-signed bowler Arafat Bhuiyan is also included in the squad while all-rounder Joey Evison and veteran bowler Michael Hogan could make their first T20 appearances for the Spitfires too.

South African all-rounder George Linde is in the second of Kent’s two overseas slots, with white-ball contracted Alex Blake in his first Kent first-team squad of the season alongside returning Joe Denly and Daniel Bell-Drummond.

But batsman Zak Crawley has now linked up with England and Dutch seamer Fred Klaassen is unavailable due to personal reasons.

Kent visit Surrey this Friday and host Somerset next Tuesday in a repeat of the 2021 Final.

Kent squad: Billings, Bhuiyan, Bell-Drummond, Blake, Cox, Denly, Evison, Hogan, Leaning, Linde, Muyeye, Richardson, Stewart.