Kent borrow Brit Oval

Kent Spitfires have announced plans to stage their Friends Provident t20 game against Essex Eagles at the Brit Oval

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Kent have announced they are to play a ‘home’ Friends Provident t20 game at the Brit Oval next season.

The county, who have also revealed the venues for seven of their other home group matches in the new-look Friends Provident t20 in 2010, will take on Essex at the London venue on July 9 in an attempt to try and maximise revenue.

The Oval will accompany Kent's usual grounds of Beckenham, Tonbridge Wells and Canterbury as venues to hold games due to be staged from Wednesday June 9 to Sunday July 11.

Members will to admitted free to the games, with the Spitfires due to announce full logistical details for the Oval fixture in the New Year.

Kent captain Rob Key said: "I'm delighted that we are playing around the county again and the match at the Brit Oval is exciting for us all because matches there always generate such huge crowds.

“I'm sure it will be a great occasion and I think the club is right to try it. The players and I are all backing the initiative."

Acting chief executive Jamie Clifford added: "I think we have a wonderful spread of fixtures for 2010; we saw this year how popular Twenty20 was away from Canterbury.

“We are particularly delighted to be working with the Brit Oval to stage a match. It offers a great opportunity for us to maximise our Twenty20 revenues with lots of home fixtures in such a short period of time.

“We want to spread the Kent cricket message far and wide, and the match at the Brit Oval, along with our other venues for matches in 2010, gives us that opportunity.”