Leics v Kent: Coles 10-wicket haul in eight-wicket win
Tuesday 7th July 2015
Matt Coles completed a career-best 10-wicket match as Kent beat Leicestershire by eight wickets at Grace Road in the LV= County Championship.
Despite heavy overnight rain, play resumed on time with Leicestershire on 110-9, only 59 ahead, and Ben Raine and Charlie Shreck took the score on to 123 before Shreck was bowled by Matt Coles, the seamer’s fourth wicket of the innings to go with the six he took in Leicestershire’s first innings.
Coles’ match figures of 10-94 were his best in first class cricket and his first 10-wicket match for Kent, eclipsing 10-154 taken for Hampshire against Essex in 2013. All-rounder Raine finished on 41 not out.
Needing 73 to win on what is still a difficult pitch on which to bat, the Kent batsmen adopted an aggressive approach.
It paid off for Joe Denly, who hit 37 off 48 balls, and in company with skipper Sam Northeast, who hit 28 off 25 balls, saw the visitors home shortly after lunch.
The only two Kent wickets to fall were Daniel Bell-Drummond, caught by Angus Robson at first slip off the bowling of Raine for 5, and Rob Key, who lofted Raine straight to Ned Eckersley at mid-on for 4.