Alex Blake (cricketer)
{{short description|English cricketer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024|cs1-dates=ly formats}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Alex Blake
| image = File:Alex Blake.jpg
| caption = Blake playing for Kent at Beckenham in 2016
| fullname = Alexander James Blake
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|1|25|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Farnborough, London
| batting = Left-handed
| bowling = Right-arm medium-fast
Right-arm off-spin
| club1 = Kent
| year1 = {{nowrap|2007–2023}}
| clubnumber1 = 10
| club2 = Oval Invincibles
| year2 = 2021
| clubnumber2 =
| club3 = Kathmandu Knights
| year3 = {{nowrap|2022/23}}
| clubnumber3 =
| club4 = Dhaka Dominators
| year4 = 2022/23
| club5 = Cornwall
| year5 = 2023
| clubnumber5 =
| type1 = FC
| debutdate1 = 28 April
| debutyear1 = 2008
| debutfor1 = Kent
| debutagainst1 = New Zealanders
| type2 = LA
| debutdate2 = 4 September
| debutyear2 = 2007
| debutfor2 = Kent
| debutagainst2 = Surrey
| columns = 3
| column1 = FC
| matches1 = 47
| runs1 = 1,560
| bat avg1 = 22.94
| 100s/50s1 = 1/6
| top score1 = 105*
| deliveries1 = 222
| wickets1 = 3
| bowl avg1 = 52.66
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 2/9
| catches/stumpings1 = 26/–
| column2 = LA
| matches2 = 124
| runs2 = 2,629
| bat avg2 = 30.56
| 100s/50s2 = 1/16
| top score2 = 116
| deliveries2 = 264
| wickets2 = 5
| bowl avg2 = 55.40
| fivefor2 = 0
| tenfor2 = 0
| best bowling2 = 2/13
| catches/stumpings2 = 68/–
| column3 = T20
| matches3 = 159
| runs3 = 2,257
| bat avg3 = 20.51
| 100s/50s3 = 0/10
| top score3 = 71*
| deliveries3 = 78
| wickets3 = 1
| bowl avg3 = 96.00
| fivefor3 = 0
| tenfor3 = 0
| best bowling3 = 1/17
| catches/stumpings3 = 89/–
| date = 8 October
| year = 2023
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/243944.html Cricinfo
}}
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.Reid J (ed) 2016 Kent County Cricket Club Annual, Kent County Cricket Club, pp.23–24. Blake was born in Farnborough in Bromley and attended Hayes School before studying at Leeds Metropolitan University. Blake was known as a "brutal limited-overs batsman" and an "athletic" fielder.
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.Hoad A (2015) [http://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/sport/kent-agree-blake-extension-42933/ Kent Cricket white ball star Alex Blake agrees new contract at club following speculation about Sussex switch], Kent Online, 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2016-11-20.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/87/87728/all_teams.html Teams Alex Blake played for], CricketArchive. Retrieved 2016-11-20.[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928153217/http://www.kentcricketacademy.co.uk/scholars.php Kent Cricket Academy Scholars (archived)]. Retrieved 2007-09-06. 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.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/87/87728/Under-19_ODI_Matches.html Under-19 ODI matches played by Alex Blake], CricketArchive. Retrieved 2016-11-20.
Blake made his List A cricket debut for Kent in the 2007 NatWest Pro40 against Surrey in September 2007,[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/87/87728/List_A_Matches.html List A matches played by Alex Blake], CricketArchive. Retrieved 2016-11-20. before going on to make his first-class cricket debut for Kent against the touring New Zealanders in April 2008.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/87/87728/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by Alex Blake], CricketArchive. Retrieved 2016-11-20. He broke into the County Championship side in 2010 and scored his maiden County Championship century against Yorkshire in the final Championship match of the season.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/9001159.stm Kent on the brink as Yorkshire battle for title], BBC Sport, 2010-09-15. Retrieved 2016-11-20.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/kent/9400020.stm Alex Blake signs new three-year contract with Kent], BBC Sport, 2011-02-16. Retrieved 2016-11-20.
In 2015 he scored three half-centuries in Twenty 20 matches,[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/34201108 Alex Blake: Kent batsman signs new contract], BBC Sport, 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2016-11-20. 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. After attracting attention from Sussex,Hollis S (2015) [http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/13651421.Sussex_chase_Kent_batsman_Blake/ Sussex chase Kent batsman Blake], The Argus, 2015-09-08. Retrieved 2016-11-20. he was awarded a new contract at the end of the 2015 season and won Kent's One-Day Player of the Year award at the end of the season.'Coles named Kent player of the year for 2015' in Reid J (2015) Op. cit., pp.82–83.[http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/13778903.Beckenham_and_Bexley_stars_recognised_at_Kent_cricket_awards_night/ Beckenham and Bexley stars recognised at Kent cricket awards night], News Shopper, 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2016-11-20.
After only making one first-class appearance during 2015, Blake returned to the Kent County Championship side during the 2016 season, making eight appearances.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/87/87728/f_Batting_by_Season.html First-class batting and fielding in each season by Alex Blake], CricketArchive. Retrieved 2016-11-20. 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.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/36375075 County Championship: Kent win after Derbyshire collapse], BBC Sport, 2016-05-25. Retrieved 2016-11-20.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/36455115 One-Day Cup: Alex Blake gives Kent victory over Surrey off penultimate ball], BBC Sport, 2016-06-05. Retrieved 2016-11-20.
In January 2020, Blake signed a new white-ball contract with Kent, becoming the first homegrown player to sign such a deal with county.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53485037 Alex Blake: Kent batsman signs new white-ball deal until 2022], BBC Sport, 2020-01-24. Retrieved 2020-07-24. After the 2023 season his contract was not renewed by Kent, bringing to an end a 17-year professional career with Kent.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66994690 Alex Blake & James Logan: Duo to leave Kent at end of 2023 season], BBC Sport, 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{cricinfo|id=243944}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blake, Alex}}
Category:People from Farnborough, London