Darren Stevens thinks Kent Spitfires must cash in on Sussex Sharks’ poor NatWest T20 Blast form while they can.
The Sharks won their opening two games of the campaign but a five-game losing run since has left them third from bottom in the South Group.
The Spitfires are in a quarter-final place and Stevens knows beating the sides below them will ensure they defend their position.
“I think we have a good chance to qualify this season but we need to pick up wins when we should,” he told ecb.co.uk.
“Sussex are a good team and you look at them and Somerset – who have been good teams in this format in the past – they have had a bit of up-and-down form.”
Veteran batting all-rounder Stevens led Kent to their only title in the sprint format in 2007 and while two more trips to Finals Day followed, the Spitfires have been absent since.
Yasir Arafat, who was part of Kent’s 2007 title-winning team, will be a key man for the Sharks as they look to revive their campaign.
Kent won both games last season and, after a thrilling tie against Glamorgan last time out are on a high.
“After that match the players were pretty low,” Stevens said.
“Glamorgan celebrated it like and we our dressing-room was the opposite despite it being a tie.
“I think that shows the mindset of the players and hopefully we can push on.”
Kent have include Fabian Cowdrey, Charlie Hartley and spinner Adam Riley to the XI that tied with Glamorgan with Mark Davies and Ivan Thomas out due to injury.