Sport & Fitness

This season's revamped FPT format, with two teams from each of the four divisions of five going through to the quarter-finals, should cut the number of 'dead' games towards the end of the group stage. As the South/East section develops and the weather stays kind, this pool looks like going down to the wire. Essex have started brightly with Ravi Bopara, Grant Flower and Mark Pettini scoring heavily, though Kent signalled their intent with a fine win over Surrey at the Oval, England's forgotten wicket-keeper Geraint Jones blasting a one-day career-best 86 and Azhar Mahmood dismissing Mark Ramprakash. Middlesex's second defeat came at Hove: 273-5 was 40 runs too few on a fine pitch, while Sussex skipper Chris Adams – who made 109 not out – will want to take his good form to Canterbury. Essex v Kent kicks off this season's floodlit encounters: win the toss and take first knock will be what both skippers are hoping for as batting second in twilight is never easy. Andrew Shields