Kent’s Jack Leaning on a maiden appearance on the Isle of Wight and aiming to beat Hampshire to progress to the Metro Bank One-Day Cup knockout stages

Jack Leaning believes the experiences of those in Kent’s squad who have played on the Isle of Wight before could prove vital as they aim to make the Metro Bank One-Day Cup knockout stages today.

Leaning will make a maiden appearance at the Newclose Ground, Newport, when Spitfires take on second-placed Hampshire in their Group A-ending game.

Indeed, Kent never previously have played a first-team fixture on the Isle of Wight. Their squad set off in the early hours yesterday on the journey.

Batting all-rounder Leaning said: “I think a couple of the other lads have actually played there before.

“They will be able to give us a bit of a clearer idea and, hopefully, we will be able to stop there when we get off the ferry and see what we’re faced with, and what kind of a pitch it is.

“We’ll form a plan of attack from there.

“I’ve never been there so it ticks another ground off the county circuit. It’s a nice, early, start at 7am on Monday morning.

“I’d have thought it would be a pretty sleepy bus!”

Holders Kent must secure a big win in order to qualify from the group but will also be reliant on Lancashire losing heavily to Nottinghamshire.

But Leaning, player-of-the-match as Kent beat Essex by 60 runs on Sunday, hopes they can draw upon previous experience to at least keep up their side of the bargain.

He said: “It just becomes knockout cricket now from here until as far as we go in the competition.

“Hampshire have, obviously, done really well in the competition. I think they’re second. It just becomes knockout cricket.

“Hopefully, we can draw upon the experience that the lads had last year and the T20 Finals the year before.”

Interim coach Simon Cook has selected a squad of 14 for the Hampshire game.

Daniel Bell-Drummond has