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NCL Division 1 - August 11th

Wednesday, August 13 2003

Kent v Worcestershire

Coming into this game Kent were sitting in eighth position in the NCL division one table, and Worcestershire were not much better in seventh. So it was a big game for both sides as time runs out for them to earn another season in the top flight.

Worcs won the toss and decided to bat first - the common choice in day/night affairs in England. They got off to a good start though, Vikram Solanki and Anurag Singh added 79 for the first wicket.

But James Tredwell came into the attack to have Singh caught behind by England hopeful Geraint Jones, and then got the big wicket of Graeme Hick, Saturday's C&G semi final hero, for just 4.

Solanki then gave Andrew Symonds a return catch and the wheels threatened to come off the Worcester innings. Enter Murali. He dismissed Justin Kemp, then Ben Smith was caught behind off Tredwell and Stephen Peters was also caught at the wicket, off Mark Ealham for 4.

Worcestershire's only hope was for David Leatherdale and Kabir Ali to bat through to the end, but Murali dismissed both of them to leave Worcs short. Matt Mason clubbed two sixes in the last over to finish with 12* off just three balls, but Worcs would have wanted a few more than 225-8.

The combined spin of Murali, Tredwell and Symonds took 27-1-114-7.

It was the regular fall of wickets which hurt Worcs. The opening stand was the only partnership over 33. It was this they would have hoped for when Robert Key was lbw to Kabir for just 4.

Instead the in form Carberry and the destructive Symonds added 130 runs for the second wicket, and in quick time too. Worcs were forced to turn to the part time spin of Hick, and it was Solanki who eventually made the breakthrough - Carberry caught by Hick for 79 off 74 balls (12 fours, 1 six).

Symonds was then joined by Matt Walker, who was happy to rotate the strike as Symonds made hay at the other end. The pair had soon put on another 72 runs and Kent cruised to victory with eight wickets and almost nine overs to spare.

Symonds finished on 93* from 82 balls with 10 fours and 4 sixes, and Kemp bowled 4.2 overs for 53 runs!

This result saw Kent climb above Worcs to seventh in the NCL division one table and gives the home side hope of staying up next year.


Worcs 225-8 (VS Solanki 70) lost to Kent 226-2 (A Symonds 93*, MA Carberry 79) by 8 wickets.

Posted by Barrie