Middlesex v Kent

IT SEEMS fitting that the business end of Kent’s county championship title tilt starts at Lord’s, the spiritual home of cricket, on Wednesday when David Fulton’s side begin the first of their three remaining four-day games.

If Kent can win by polishing off a Middlesex side they dominated in a rain-ruined draw in Canterbury then the destiny of this year’s Frizzell Division 1 winner’s pennant may yet lie within their own hands.

The team will travel to St John’s Wood full of confidence having enjoyed a moral victory over Ben Hutton’s side at St Lawrence, which his Kent counterpart Fulton believes will stand the visitors in good stead.

He said: "It’s shaping up as something of a must win game for us and we know they’re a tough side to break down at Lord’s because they do have a strong batting line-up.

"But we also know we had them rattled at our place and it soon became clear that Ben (Hutton), and I understand his reasons, didn’t want to open the game up and was content with the draw.

"They are looking over their shoulders right now and may get drawn into a relegation fight with Surrey, so again they will possibly edge toward caution and go for a draw against us which means we’ll have to force the pace.

"We’re happy with that because we love playing positive cricket and there’s a great sense of optimism and fun in our dressing room right now."

After Lord’s Kent take on championship rivals Nottinghamshire in their final championship match in Canterbury starting on September 14, then travel to Hove for their finale to play in-form Sussex from September 21 – which may well yet be the title decider.

"There’s the old cliché that we should take it a game at a time, but I prefer to be ultra positive and believe that if we beat Middlesex, Nottinghamshire and Sussex we will bring the championship back to Canterbury," added Fulton.

"We will have to give everything every time our batsmen go to the crease and on each occasion we take to the field and, if we do that, with good fortune the results will look after themselves."

Kent’s title run-in:

Middlesex v Kent (Lord’s, September 7-10)
Kent v Nottinghamshire (Canterbury, September 14-17)
Sussex v Kent (Hove, September 21-24)