STEPHEN Parry says Lancashire are not worried about the prospect of facing high-flying Kent at Canterbury in next month’s NatWest T20 Blast quarter-final.

Left-arm spinner Parry believes the Spitfires are the form team in the country in T20 cricket having qualified for the last eight as South Division winners with nine wins from their 14 matches.

But he insists the Lightning, who qualified on Friday courtesy of a washout at Worcestershire, are relishing the challenge as they aim to reach their sixth Finals Day.

Lancashire finished fourth in the North with seven wins, and ahead of the clash at Canterbury on August 15, the ex-Radcliffe junior said: “We’re in the quarters, and it’s about taking our best game to Kent, who are probably the form side in the country. It will be a good challenge.

“You can’t be worried about playing anybody in Twenty20 because things can change so quickly in the game.

“Kent have found it hard for a few years, but now their young lads have come together, they are a very dangerous side. They’ve got some talented batters up the top.

“That South Group’s tough, and you don’t win it that easy if you’re not a good side.

“I don’t feel we’re as strong as we have been in the past, but we’re still a good team.

“We’ve got younger players coming in, which can make you a bit inconsistent, so it’s important that the senior players like myself, Browny, Crofty and Princey perform around them.

“We always strive to get a home quarter. We feel we’re one of the best sides in the group. But everyone’s beat everyone so far in our group this summer.

“I know Birmingham have run away with it a little bit, but there have been a lot of upsets, which shows sides are getting better. You can’t underestimate anyone.”

Parry was speaking at Horsham yesterday, where Lancashire’s opening Royal London one-day Cup clash with Sussex was rained off without a ball bowled, giving them a point.

They face Essex at Chelmsford under lights this afternoon.

“That could be quite a big point in the competition because I feel that if you win four games and get one washed out, you can scrape in a quarter-final,” added Parry.

“All we talk about is making sure we get into these quarter-finals because it’s knockout then and anything can happen. It doesn’t matter if you’re home or away really.”