Alex Blake (cricketer)

Alex Blake
Blake playing for Kent at Beckenham in 2016
Personal information
Full name
Alexander James Blake
Born (1989-01-25) 25 January 1989
Farnborough, London
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium-fast
Right-arm off-spin
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2007–2023Kent (squad no. 10)
2021Oval Invincibles
2022/23Kathmandu Knights
2022/23Dhaka Dominators
2023Cornwall
FC debut28 April 2008 Kent v New Zealanders
LA debut4 September 2007 Kent v Surrey
Career statistics
Competition FC LA T20
Matches 47 124 159
Runs scored 1,560 2,629 2,257
Batting average 22.94 30.56 20.51
100s/50s 1/6 1/16 0/10
Top score 105* 116 71*
Balls bowled 222 264 78
Wickets 3 5 1
Bowling average 52.66 55.40 96.00
5 wickets in innings 0 0 0
10 wickets in match 0 0 0
Best bowling 2/9 2/13 1/17
Catches/stumpings 26/– 68/– 89/–
Source: Cricinfo, 8 October 2023

Alexander James Blake (born 25 January 1989) is an English professional cricketer who played for Kent County Cricket Club between 2007 and 2023. He played as a left-handed batsman who bowled occasionally. Blake was born in Farnborough in Bromley and attended Hayes School before studying at Leeds Metropolitan University.

Cricket career

Blake was a member of the Kent Cricket Academy and played for the county at age group level before making his debut for the Kent Second XI in 2005.[1][2][3] He was part of the England under-19 team which played in an invitational tri-series in January and February 2007 in Kuala Lumpur. Blake made four under-19 One Day International appearances during the tournament against Malaysia under-19s and Sri Lanka under-19s.[4]

Blake made his List A cricket debut for Kent in the 2007 NatWest Pro40 against Surrey in September 2007,[5] before going on to make his first-class cricket debut for Kent against the touring New Zealanders in April 2008.[6] He broke into the County Championship team in 2010 and scored his maiden County Championship century against Yorkshire in the final Championship match of the season.[7][8]

In 2015 he scored three half-centuries in Twenty 20 matches,[9] including his best score of 71 not out, scored in 30 balls against Hampshire. Blake scored another two half-centuries in the 2015 Royal London One-Day Cup and recorded a batting average of 62 in the competition.[9] After attracting attention from Sussex,[10] he was awarded a new contract at the end of the 2015 season[1][9] and won Kent's One-Day Player of the Year award at the end of the season.[11]

After only making one first-class appearance during 2015, Blake returned to the Kent County Championship team during the 2016 season, making eight appearances.[12] He hit three sixes from the only balls he faced to complete a Championship win against Derbyshire in May and hit 66 not out against Surrey in the One-Day Cup, scoring a six from the penultimate ball of the match to secure the win for Kent.[13][14]

In January 2020, Blake signed a new white-ball contract with Kent, becoming the first homegrown player to sign such a deal with county.[15] After the 2023 season his contract was not renewed by Kent, bringing to an end a 17-year professional career with Kent.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b Hoad, Alex (2015). Kent Cricket white ball star Alex Blake agrees new contract at club following speculation about Sussex switch, Kent Online, 9 September 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  2. ^ Teams Alex Blake played for, CricketArchive. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  3. ^ Kent Cricket Academy Scholars (archived). Retrieved 6 September 2007.
  4. ^ Under-19 ODI matches played by Alex Blake, CricketArchive. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  5. ^ List A matches played by Alex Blake, CricketArchive. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  6. ^ First-class matches played by Alex Blake, CricketArchive. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  7. ^ Kent on the brink as Yorkshire battle for title, BBC Sport, 15 September 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  8. ^ Alex Blake signs new three-year contract with Kent, BBC Sport, 16 February 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  9. ^ a b c Alex Blake: Kent batsman signs new contract, BBC Sport, 9 September 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  10. ^ Hollis, Steve (2015). Sussex chase Kent batsman Blake, The Argus, 8 September 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  11. ^ Beckenham and Bexley stars recognised at Kent cricket awards night, News Shopper, 23 September 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  12. ^ First-class batting and fielding in each season by Alex Blake, CricketArchive. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  13. ^ County Championship: Kent win after Derbyshire collapse, BBC Sport, 25 May 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  14. ^ One-Day Cup: Alex Blake gives Kent victory over Surrey off penultimate ball, BBC Sport, 5 June 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  15. ^ Alex Blake: Kent batsman signs new white-ball deal until 2022, BBC Sport, 24 January 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  16. ^ Alex Blake & James Logan: Duo to leave Kent at end of 2023 season, BBC Sport, 3 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
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