Second XI keeps Trophy hopes alive
Friday 5th August 2016
Kent kept their Second XI Trophy hopes alive with a two-wicket win against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham.
The hosts started strongly with experienced batsman Will Tavaré scoring 69 as Gloucestershire reached 160-3 in the 31st over.
The wickets were spread around with two each for Calum Haggett, Charlie Hartley and Imran Qayyum before Sam Weller wrapped up the tail with three wickets.
Chasing 242 to win, Kent lost Zak Crawley and Geremy Fatouros to experienced Australian T20 international seamer Andrew Tye.
A fantastic 148-run stand between opener Callum Jackson (pictured above) and Adam Ball put Kent in control before both fell to Tye’s second spell.
In-form wicketkeeper-batsman Jackson hit eleven boundaries in an excellent 98 and Ball blasted eight fours and two sixes in a 71-ball 81.
Jackson added 40 for the fourth wicket with fit-again Calum Haggett before off-spinner Jack Taylor got the breakthrough trapping Haggett LBW to start a sequence of four wickets in four overs.
Needing just eleven to win, Kent added just two runs for the loss of academy scholar Marcus O’Riordan (bowled) and Jackson (LBW) to Tye either side of Hartley, stumped off the bowling of Taylor.
Skipper Adam Riley saw the visitors home with more than five overs to spare.
Next up are the final scheduled competitive fixtures of the season with a three-day Championship match starting on Tuesday (9 August) and the final Trophy group game on Friday (12 August), both against Middlesex at The County Ground, Beckenham.
Middlesex sit top of the South Division in the Championship table with Kent 20 points behind, only a convincing win can clinch a spot in the final on Tuesday 6 September.
A win in the 50-over match should take Kent into the semi-finals on Friday 19 August.