Kent reunion for Nixon

Leicestershire CCC Head Coach Paul Nixon will need little introduction to Kent CCC Members when the two teams meet in a crunch Specsavers County Championship game tomorrow (11am start).

Nixon spent three successful years in Canterbury either side of his successful playing career with the Foxes, and has since returned to the ground as a player.

But this will be the first time he has gone back to the St Lawrence Ground as Head Coach for a fixture that pits second against fourth.

It is the first of a double-header between the teams, who meet again in the Specsavers County Championship at the Fischer County Ground on Sunday, August 19.

Nixon said: “It’s been a busy week with T20s and a change of format is always a great test for the players, but it’s one that we’re looking forward to. We have great momentum following the performance at Trent Bridge last night.

“Cricket is a funny game sometimes and the fixture list has thrown up two consecutive games against one of our closest rivals in the Specsavers County Championship around the T20, and that’s great for everyone involved. We've had a good focussed red ball practice session at Canterbury today.

“On a personal level, it will be good to see some familiar faces. There have been a lot of changes at Kent since I was there, but it will be good to go back as I had some good times there.

“However, the game is not about me, the most important thing is that we get a good result to close the points gap ahead of the return game at the Fischer County Ground.”

The Foxes has a number of players in top form, none more so than batsman Colin Ackermann and all-rounder Ben Raine.

Ackermann is the leading scorer in Division Two with 689 runs amassed at a healthy average of 68.90 while Raine is the second top wicket-taker having already snared 34 victims.

Kent CCC is enjoying a good season across all formats having also reached the final of the Royal London One-Day Cup and being top of the Vitality Blast south group.

Matt Henry and former fox Darren Stevens formed a potent a new ball partnership that claimed 72 wickets at an average of just 14.93 in 11 combined appearances, while Harry Podmore (27 wickets at 19.37) has also excelled.

New Zealander Henry, the only second division bowler to have taken more wickets than Raine, has now returned home and will undoubtedly be a big loss to the hosts. But Kent CCC landed a fine victory against Middlesex CCC without both Henry and Stevens in the last round, and Nixon is aware of their strengths.

He said: “We know that Kent are a good side, and Stevo [Darren Stevens] is someone that we all know well. I can remember playing alongside him, and he’s still going strong!

“They are well-balanced, have a number of bowlers who have been in the wickets, and have been playing some good cricket across all formats. They lost the first game but won five out of six after that, so it will be a tough game.

“But, as always, we’ll focus on ourselves and our own preparation and performance. We’ve been playing some consistent cricket with the red and pink ball, winning three of the last four games. That would have been a 100 per cent record had we’d taken our chances in the field against Middlesex.

“We bounced back beautifully at Derbyshire, with Muhammad Abbas and Paul Horton showing all of their experience on the final day. That was a professional all-round performance and something that we’ll be looking to replicate at Kent.”

There are three changes to the 13-man squad that travelled to Derbyshire CCC in the previous Specsavers County Championship game as Ned Eckersley, Zak Chappell and Dieter Klein - who missed out through injury on that occasion - return to the fold.

Leicestershire CCC (from 13): Horton (capt), Abbas, Ackermann, Chappell, Cosgrove, Dearden, Dexter, Eckersley (wk), Griffiths, Javid, Klein, Parkinson, Raine.

* The Foxes return to the Fischer County Ground for the next Vitality Blast fixture against Derbyshire Falcons on Friday, July 27! The best value tickets are available in advance – a family ticket for 2 adults and 3 under 16s is available for £37 before 11.59pm on Thursday. Secure your seat at the Fischer County Ground today HERE