Kent Spitfires’ topsy-turvy Vitality Blast campaign hit a new low after they were bowled out for their lowest-ever T20 total on Friday night.
Chasing Worcestershire Rapids’ 142-7 on a used pitch, Spitfires were all out for just 59 with only Joe Denly and Zak Crawley reaching double figures.
Denly said: “It was a very disappointing day, no doubt about that. A pretty convincing loss on a tough pitch.
“They played pretty well with the bat to get themselves up to a competitive total on a used wicket, I think it was the fourth time they have used that pitch. Then with the bat we never really got going.
“We were a bit tentative all the way through and let them bowl at us a little but. We didn’t really throw any punches back.
“They have got two world-class spinners who came on after they had a good start in the powerplay and really closed the game out which is very frustrating.”
The Rapids were lifted to 142-7 by Adam Hose (47 from 41 balls) and Sikandar Raza, on his farewell appearance before leaving for international duty, who struck 43 from 31.
Kent’s bowlers, led by Matt Milnes (3-20) and Keith Dudgeon (1-22), sustained pressure throughout but their batters then imploded. The Spitfires were undone in 14.1 overs as Usama Mir delivered (2-14 in four), Raza (2-8 in three) and Ben Allisom (2-9 in two).
Both sides began their first ever Blast meeting having won four and lost four in this year’s comp so were well aware that one more defeat would leave them playing catch-up with time running out.
Kent restricted the Rapids to 27-2 in the powerplay. Dudgeon bowled three excellent overs while Tom Rogers and Milnes conceded just three runs from the first two overs from the New Road End.
When Gareth Roderick sliced Jake Lintott to extra cover, the Rapids were 44-3 in the ninth over but Hose and Raza rebuilt with a stand of 68 in eight overs. Acceleration was a while coming – the first six of the innings, from Raza, arrived from its 87th ball. Raza hit the second four balls later but then had his middle-stump plucked out by Milnes.
Milnes collected his third wicket when Matthew Waite chopped to short third man. Hose perished when he lifted a pull to deep square and the Rapids appeared to come in slightly under par.
Kent‘s reply started badly as they slumped to 16-3. Harry Finch was bowled leg-stump by Tom Taylor before Allison struck twice in his first three balls. His first was hit to short fine leg by Daniel Bell-Drummond. His third was a beauty which hit Sam Billings’ off-stump.
The Spitfires were a parlous 32-3 after the powerplay and within 13 balls, they were 39-6. Raza’s fourth ball trapped Denly lbw, Mir’s first had Crawley caught behind and Raza’s seventh was lifted to long off by Rogers.
Lintott was run out when Chris Benjamin declined to take a single. Benjamin was then plum lbw to Mir and the collapse concluded in appropriate fashion with another careless run out as Dudgeon jogged a single and was beaten by Taylor’s throw.
Kent Spitfires travel to Hampshire on Sunday afternoon at the Rose Bowl.
Report via ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
