Kent vs ND @ Kent
KENT OFF TO A FLYER
With the WCC season 2 getting under way, Kent knew their visitors would provide a tough test so early in the season after pre season friendlies…..or so I thought.
Kent won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that seemed to offer little advantage either way.
Kent’s innings got of to a solid start from a new look Kent side with just 2 of last season’s players making the team. M.Butcher started in typical fashion with a steady start while allowing the more flamboyant A.Flower to play his shots. With the score at just 30, disaster struck with N.Bracken removing M.Butcher for just 12. Kent needed big partnerships with the batting being so short, however all they got was bad news, A.Flower being dismissed just two runs later when G.Aldridge had in spectacularly caught at extra cover, Flower contributing 20 at nearly a run a ball. However this was to spark Kent into life as it bought one of the biggest names in cricket S.Waugh and young rookie B.Allen. Both batsmen started off their innings in a recovery mood but soon started to attack the ND bowling attack with devastating effect. Allen showed no mercy to the ND attack with a run a ball 48 and was unlucky to be caught after a ball pitch on a length and took off, fending the ball away B.Oldroyd took a fine catch close in. Meanwhile S.Waugh was pummelling the bowlers to all parts in a very aggressive innings not normally associated with S.Waugh. S.Waugh however took it one step to far when he attempted to loft the ball over mid-on and only succeeded in edging through to the wicketkeeper. Waugh departed for an exhilarating innings of 90 from just 72 balls, leaving the Kent innings in a very strong position of 190/4. That would be the last success that ND would experience for this innings as the muched travelled D.Marsh and spin bowler G.Batty linked up to add further misery to ND manager Eyes. The pair put on a further 113 runs for the 5th wicket with Marsh contributing a fine 74* (74) and Batty 52* (52).
The Kent innings finally ended on a monster of a total, 303/5. The ND to be fair started well, but lost it when the onslaught started, only two bowlers got among the wickets
G.Aldridge : 10-1-68-2
N.Bracken : 9-1-59-2
The only other bowler to have any respectability was Tuffey: -
D.Tuffey : 10-4-39-0
In reply ND required a massive 304 to win and were never in the hunt when Kent’s opening bowlers went for the kill, with just 14 on the board ND had already lost 3 wickets, however a spirited fight back lead by J Rhodes (43) / S Fleming (29) gave ND a faint glimmer of hope of victory, but after both departed through Hutton & Smith the writing was on the wall, however although victory was now certain Kent manager was surprised just how quickly it came, with the last 7 wickets falling for just 14 runs. ND were all out for 96 in just 26 overs.
Kent’s bowlers helped by the massive amount of runs on the board were able to attack and all the bowlers chipped in with fine figures.
M.McCague 3 0 18 2
M.Saggers 5 2 20 1
S Hutton 8 2 26 3
H.Singh 7 2 26 2
N.Smith 2 0 5 1
A fantastic way to start the season from the Kent boys but lets not get to carried away just yet there’s still a long way to go, but it’s a encouraging start from a OD team I expected to be fighting for survival rather than promotion.
Summary
Kent – 303/5
ND – 96 All Out
Kent won by 207 Runs
MOM – S.Waugh
