Experienced Kent batting all-rounder Joe Denly details the level of preparation which took place ahead of the T20 Blast competition; Somerset next up

Kent’s Joe Denly has detailed the level of preparation which took place ahead of the T20 Blast competition.

Spitfires got off to a winning start last week at home to Gloucestershire - just four days after their most recent County Championship clash finished - before they were beaten at much-fancied Surrey two days later.

For players, the task of chopping and changing between the different formats is a tough one.

There’s another busy week ahead for Kent, too. They host Somerset tonight before two further T20 South group matches away to Glamorgan this Friday and at home to Surrey on Sunday.

Denly said: “It’s part of the schedule, isn’t it? We’re well used to it now.

“Although we’ve been playing a lot of red-ball cricket in the past couple of months, a lot of preparation has gone into the T20s.

“It’s not as if we’ve just had a couple of nets in the last couple of days.

“There’s been a lot of focus and a lot of preparation.”

The break from County Championship cricket comes with Kent second-bottom in Division 1.

Denly said: “We’ve spoken about that. The red-ball has been disappointing, there’s no doubt about that.

“But to reset, I suppose to re-focus and put everything into white ball, that’s been great for us.

“Hopefully, it can kickstart our season.”

Denly has had slightly longer than his team-mates to adjust to playing shorter-format cricket, having been left out of the four-day team since mid-April. Instead, he’s been finding form for the 2nds.

“It’s been nice to have a couple of T20s for the 2nds and to get my eye in with the white-ball stuff,” said the 37-year-old, who has begun in the shortest format with a 31-ball 35 not out and a 15-ball 22.

“It’s always nice to get some preparations going into a really fun