Kent Men continued their preparations for the start of the 2026 Rothesay County Championship with their final two-day warm-up against Surrey at the St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury.

Kent Men’s upcoming 2026 pre-season schedule

Kent’s 2026 pre-season schedule is proudly sponsored by Bayliss Executive Travel Ltd.

28-30 March: Kent vs. Oxford UCCE (three-day University Match) – the St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury: FREE ENTRY

Kent welcomed Surrey to Canterbury for a fixture which would be played as two innings of 45 overs each, allowing every member of each squad to gain valuable time in the middle ahead of the beginning of the Rothesay County Championship season starting next week.

Kent will be facing Oxford UCCE in the final pre-season test for the Spitfires in Canterbury this weekend, with free entry to all.

Matt Milnes and Joey Evison took the new ball on the first day against Kent’s oldest rivals, whilst the internationally experienced opening pair Dom Sibley and Rory Burns opened for Surrey, but it was Matt Quinn who took the hosts’ first wicket, finding the edge of Rory Burns bat who made 22. Dom Sibley made 50 before retiring.

Jas Singh bowled Dan Lawrence for 60 from 85 deliveries, before Matt Quinn took a second wicket when Jamie Smith pulled to Harry Finch on the boundary as he departed for 25 from 24 deliveries.

Ben Foakes and Ryan Patel made 25 and 17 not out respectively as Surrey reached the end of their first 45 over innings.

The visitors made 210, while the Kent seam attack all managed between 8 to 10 overs as they work towards the start of the season.

Zak Crawley headed out for the first time in Kent colours in 2026 with Sam Northeast who made 44. Crawley, Bell-Drummond and Finch all trapped LBW in front while Muyeye, was bowled by Clark to make the score 75/5.

Overnight, Chris Benjamin was joined in the middle by Joey Evison and the pair added 93, before Benjamin retired out on 67 and Evison retiring out on 42 shortly afterwards to give Kent’s batters as much time in the middle as possible.

Muyeye, Bell-Drummond and Finch returned to the crease for a second time in an aim to improve on their first innings scores.

However, Muyeye and Bell-Drummond made 2 and 11 respectively before Harry Finch and Matt Milnes finished 36 and 23 not out when Kent declared to allow Surrey to bat for half of Day Two.

Clark was bowled by Joey Evison for 4, before Ryan Patel retired out after tea making 13, to allow Lawes to join Albert in the middle. However, Albert departed in the first over after lunch as Mikey Cohen found the edge.

Matthew Fisher joined Lawes in the middle. Fisher was bowled by Mikey Cohen for 6 with the Kent seamer sending two stumps out of the ground.

That wicket brought handshakes in the middle as the day was brought to an earlier close with both sides getting over 65 wickets of match practice under their belts.

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