Kent Spitfires were edged out in a hard-fought Metro Bank One-Day Cup match by Worcestershire Rapids on the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method on Wednesday.
Home captain Jake Libby struck his fourth half-century in five knocks in this summer’s 50-over tournament to lead the Rapids to a fourth win and maintain their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages, leaving 2022 champions Spitfires third-bottom with just two victories from five fixtures after their three-wicket loss.
Libby’s 75 off 68 balls was instrumental in Worcestershire reaching a 259 target with seven balls to spare of the rain-reduced 48-over game.
He has now scored 287 runs at 143.50 after being his side’s leading One-Day Cup run-getter in 2022 and 2023.
Rob Jones’ half-century was also key to another Rapids success with their side missing nine senior players through illness and injury.
A three-wicket blast from 18-year-old Charlie Home (3-62) had been largely responsible for reducing Spitfires to 70-5.
Kent were indebted to List A best batting performances by Charlie Stobo and Grant Stewart as they recovered well to total 259 all out.
Australian overseas signing Stobo surpassed his previous best score of 32 not out in making 72 from 79 balls and he dominated a partnership of 91 runs with Stewart for the seventh wicket.
Italian international Stewart then took over the mantle of chief aggressor and he went past his previous high-score of 57 before being last out for 78 from 60 deliveries.
Home has taken 12 wickets in just three appearances in the One-Day Cup and again confirmed his promise, although he was latterly on the receiving end of the Stobo-Stewart onslaught and will learn from the experience.
Kent’s seamers then bowled a disciplined line and length to put the home side behind the required run-rate.
But Jones dug in to keep them in the hunt and then Libby paced his knock to perfection before he was run-out with 26 runs needed and then Hishaam Khan cut Stobo for the winning boundary.
Libby had won the toss and put the visitors into bat on a slow-ish pitch previously used for the T20 Vitality Blast game against Lancashire Lightning.
Sturgess (1-34) took the new ball from the Diglis End and struck with his fourth ball when Marcus O’Riordan went for an ambitious drive and was bowled via an inside edge.
Hishaam Khan (2-44) shared the attack and he also made an early breakthrough when South African all-rounder Beyers Swanepoel went for a pull shot and was caught down the legside by keeper Gareth Roderick.
Jack Leaning and Joey Evison attempted to rebuild the innings but, after adding 41 runs, the latter cut Home straight to Ethan Brookes at backward point.
Home then struck twice in an over to reduce the visitors to 70-5.
Harry Finch was undone by a delivery which nipped back and became the second player to be bowled through an inside edge.
Four balls later, Evison (23) fenced at a delivery and edged through to Roderick.
Spinner Tom Hinley (1-23) came into the attack and he accounted for Jaydn Denly, who was bowled through the gate from a delivery which turned.
Stobo went on the offensive against Home when he returned and pulled for three boundaries in an over.
He and Stewart played sensibly on a pitch where the occasional delivery stopped in the surface.
Stobo completed a 55-ball half-century and the partnership was worth 91 runs from 15 overs when he was stumped after aiming a big blow at Singh (3-51) down the ground. He hit one six and six fours.
Stewart struck successive sixes on his way to a half-century from 49 balls before Singh picked up two wickets in the space of three balls.
Hamid Qadri was pouched at deep mid-wicket and then Singh bowled Matt Parkinson after he pushed forward to claim his third scalp.
But Stewart struck two more sixes on the trot off the spinner before being bowled by Khan in the final over after hitting five maximums and six fours.
When Worcestershire batted, Ed Pollock despatched Stewart (3-73) for 6-4-4 in the space of four balls but then nicked a ball of extra bounce from the same bowler through to keeper Finch.
Gareth Roderick and Rob Jones added 49 but they were kept in check by a disciplined Kent attack.
Roderick briefly opened out to pull Stobo (1-47) for six backward of square but then was lbw to full ball from Gilchrist (2-44).
Jones has struggled for runs this summer but dug in to complete an 80-ball half-century with a cut for four at Stewart’s expense.
But he fell to a return catch in his next over after adding 70 with Libby.
Brookes was soon into his stride with a ramp shot for six off Stewart, although he then holed out to deep mid-wicket off Stobo at 177-4.
Libby completed his half-century with successive scoop shots for four from Stobo before Rehaan Edavalath top-edged a return catch to Gilchrist.
The game took another twist when Libby turned Stobo on the onside and was run-out, attempting a risky second run.
Singh then drilled Stewart to Gilchrist at cover with 21 runs required but Khan and Hinley kept their nerve to see the Rapids home.
Interim Kent head coach Mark Dekker said: “Those sorts of games are always tough.
“You feel you are in it right to the end and then you get pipped to the post.
“It’s not a great experience but that’s cricket and, against Lancashire, they were on the other side of it.
“Today, we are and it’s about how we process that information to break down emotions from facts. It’s as simple as that.
“It was an absolute brilliant effort by Grant and Charlie after being 115-6 and, by our own admission, we recognise that our top five batting hasn’t quite fired yet.
“What is really pleasing about Charlie Stobo is that he is the consummate professional. He has got very clear thinking, he speaks well within the group.
“He was patient, he still took his runs when he could get them and the moment he felt he could cash in, he nailed it down. Particularly impressive from him.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, that our bowlers have been very good and kept us in this tournament.
“I’d break down what happened down to two overs. They got stuck into one over from Grant and then Joey Evison got pinged a bit.
“We didn’t quite nail our skills – and they did.”
Kent return to action at Derbyshire on Friday before they face Durham at Canterbury this Sunday.
