Kent Spitfires overcome by Hampshire
Friday 4th July 2014
Hampshire cruised to a 47-run away win over South Group rivals Kent to cement their place in the NatWest T20 Blast qualification places.
Full value for their seventh win of the campaign, Hampshire posted a combative 173 for nine then rolled over the misfiring Spitfires for 126 to win with eight balls to spare.
Hampshire's victory in Canterbury all but put paid Kent’s hopes of making the knock-out phase as they suffered a sixth defeat in 10 starts.
Kent made a sluggish start to their pursuit losing Daniel Bell-Drummond (1) to a sliced drive to cover against Chris Wood. Then, Sam Northeast (15) followed suit off the bowling of Matt Coles, leaving Kent in trouble at 38 for two after their powerplay – 24 behind at the same stage of Hampshire’s innings.
Having struggled to find his timing Fabian Cowdrey’s 27-ball stay ended with a stumping by Michael Bates and, at the mid-point, Kent required a further 109 from 10 overs.
Acting Kent captain Darren Stevens attempted to accelerate by slog weeping Will Smith for six but, in trying to repeat the feat, he skied to the keeper to go for 23 and – at 74 for four – Spitfires’ victory hopes effectively went with him.
With 60 required from the last five overs Sam Billings (19) drove limply to extra cover, Alex Blake (26) miscued to long on and Adam Ball, Ben Harmison, Mitchell Claydon and Adam Riley all had their stumps rearranged at the tail end of the run chase.
Conversely, Hampshire made an rapid start to the game as James Vince smashed the first ball of the night from Stevens for four only to feather the next to the keeper Billings.
Michael Carberry teed off in Stevens’ next over, smashing three fours and a six from successive deliveries before holing out to Ball on the ropes at deep mid wicket to make it 37 for two.
After clubbing three fours in his short stay, Jimmy Adams nicked an airy drive against Claydon through to the keeper to leave Hampshire on 62 for three at the end of the powerplay.
Glenn Maxwell (13) looked set for big things after lofting Ball for a maximum only to miscue part-time seamer Harmison into the hands of long-on.
Sean Ervine and Will Smith re-grouped in adding 50 for the fifth-wicket in 6.2 overs, the highlight of which was a sublime lofted extra cover drive for six off Riley.
Kent broke the stand in the 15th over when Smith (37) chopped on when attempting to cut against Ball, ending a partnership of 69 in 8.2 overs.
Wood was sent back when attempting a suicidal single to mid-wicket to be run out then Kyle Abbott, making room to his first delivery, was bowled by James Tredwell as the visitors lost three for three.
Ervine was three short of his maiden T20 50 for the campaign when he lost his leg stump to a yorker from Claydon, the pick of Kent’s attack in a four-over stint of two for 26, that ended with the run out of Coles (29) in his first match at Canterbury since leaving Kent last season.
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