Kent skipper James Tredwell has called on their top-order batsmen to produce the performances which will turn around their miserable Friends Life t20 campaign.

The Spitfires are bottom of South Division having lost all five matches – the only side in the country without a win this season – and have no realistic hopes of a place in the knockout stages ahead of the final half of the campaign which begins with Sunday’s trip to Hampshire (2.30pm).

Kent have scored fewer runs than any other side to have completed five games and Tredwell believes early runs will be key to their chances of success.

Rob Key has scored just 80 runs in five innings while over half of opening partner Sam Northeast’s 119 from five knocks came in one game against Surrey. No.3 Sam Billings has amassed just 71 runs in the five matches with Darren Stevens on 118 and Alex Blake 68.

Tredwell admitted: “The main area where we haven’t quite done it is that top-order.
“If we can get slightly bigger scores on the board, whether we’re chasing or setting totals then we give ourselves a better chance of winning the game. We need players to go on and make big scores and put together partnerships.”

Tredwell and coach Jimmy Adams have chosen to rest experienced players during the campaign to date, with the likes of Geraint Jones, Brendan Nash and Mark Davies on the sidelines, but Tredwell said they have not decided whether to persevere with the tactic.

He said: “We went down a particular route in the first five games, maybe that will remain, maybe that will change. It may be a good opportunity to have a look at a few players if that’s the way we decide we want to go.”