Kent Spitfires’ Joe Denly on facing Surrey, making history at The Kia Oval, run-outs and batting with Jordan Cox

Joe Denly expects Kent Spitfires’ T20 Blast trip to Surrey to be a great occasion.

Having won their campaign-opening South Group game by seven wickets against Gloucestershire at Canterbury on Wednesday night, The Spitfires will look to make it two wins from two tonight (6.30pm) and have named an unchanged 13-strong squad.

On facing Surrey, Denly, 37, said: “It’s always a great occasion.

“I’m sure it’ll be a packed house for a local derby. We know Surrey are a very strong outfit so to get this win going into it is great.”

The match will be Surrey’s second T20 fixture of the year – after Curran brothers Sam and Tom guided them to victory last night against Middlesex at Lord’s - but is Surrey’s first in 2023 at The Kia Oval.

“I think it’s always nice playing at the bigger grounds, the Test-match grounds,” said Denly, whose big brother Sam is Whitstable CC captain where dad Nick is chairman.

“They always seem to sell it out. There’s always that bit of spice when it’s Surrey v Kent as well - as I’ve said before, they see us as a minor county.

“So it’s nice to get one over them.”

It’s now nearly five years since the batting all-rounder entered the record books at The Kia Oval in a T20 Blast match. He became the first man to take a hat-trick and score a ton in a professional game in the shortest format.

Denly, who wasn’t required to bowl his leg-spin against Gloucestershire, recalled: “That would be nice - I’d certainly take that! It was a little while ago now.

“Hopefully, I can get a chance with the ball and I always enjoy batting there. It’s a fantastic place to bat.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

But Denly was in the thick of the action in the field in Kent’s opener against Gloucestershire, as he ran-out Pakistani