Marcus O’Riordan’s impact in Kent Spitfires’ early T20 Blast games has been praised by head coach Matt Walker.
O’Riordan has been handed a big role with bat and ball in the absence of injured vice-captain Jack Leaning.
The 26-year-old hit 28 from just 11 balls during a 66-run stand alongside Daniel Bell-Drummond in Sunday’s four-wicket home defeat to Middlesex while he has taken three wickets in nine overs.
Walker said: “Marcus has sort of been a revelation, really, with bat, ball and in the field.
“We know he’s a pretty talented young man. He’s not had the opportunities that he would have liked. He’s had a bit of a taste of it.
“He’s had a make-up role, I suppose filling in, in some ways, bowling the odd over here or there and batting at six or seven.
"But we have elevated him [this year] if we lose early wickets in the powerplay.
“He does it brilliantly in the second team and he’s got a very clear role to just keep the momentum going.
“That 14 off four against Somerset was really key to actually get us up to 50 in the powerplay and to keep us in touching distance. On Sunday, he was striking at more than 200 and that’s fantastic.
“His learning will be to carry that on out of the powerplay if he gets that opportunity.
“With the ball, he’s been really effective and, in the couple of games he has played for us over the years in T20s previously, he
has always been really effective.
“He’s a smart cricketer, a bright cricketer, and thinks well. I’m really pleased for him.
“You were wanting an opportunity for him and really wanting him to take it.
“It hasn’t quite happened for him - he’s had a couple of opportunities in the Championship team this year and he’s not taken them how he would have liked.
“But he has taken this opportunity in this competition and it’s great to see.”
Walker also explained why he has stuck with the same Spitfires side to date, ahead of another run of two games in three days.
They face holders Somerset at Taunton tomorrow night and then welcome Gloucestershire to Canterbury on Sunday.
“If we feel we need to shift it, we will,” said Walker, who remains without Australian overseas bowler Wes Agar due to a shoulder injury.
“Jack Leaning isn’t far away from playing. That will pose a question over whether he comes back into the side and who he comes in for.
“Obviously, we’re not blessed with a huge squad, certainly not around T20s. We have got sort of 13 or 14 that we think can be
really competitive in this competition.
“Nathan Gilchrist is another one, coming back from injury, who would certainly be someone that we would consider playing.
“We think this is the best side in terms of the injuries that are there.”
Walker is expecting a high-scoring affair as Kent visit Taunton, aiming to complete a double after skipper Sam Billings’ career-best 106 saw Spitfires to a four-wicket win at Canterbury last Friday.
“The batters are certainly looking forward to it,” he said. “It’s a nice place to go and play as a batsman at Taunton.
“It’s a small ground, usually a good wicket, lots of runs and I know that they posted a nice score on Sunday.
"A score of 200 is never safe there. You probably need to push on towards 220 or 230 to really make it difficult.
“They’re a very good side. We played well to beat them here.
"They will be coming at us hard, no doubt wanting some revenge, and they’re a very dangerous side on their home patch.
"With those two games coming pretty close together, if you put two [wins] together, it elevates you up the table pretty nicely.”
