Bohannon century sees Lancashire brush Kent apart
Lancashire 328 for five (Bohannon 105, Bell 71, Balderson 57, Vilas 51) Kent 203 (Bell-Drummond 38, Blatherwick 4-52) by 125 runs
England Lions batter Josh Bohannon‘s glorious 105 represented his maiden List A century as Lancashire brushed Kent Spitfires apart by 125 runs at Blackpool to achieve revenge for final yr’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup closing defeat.
Kent have now misplaced two of their first three video games in an unconvincing title defence, with Bohannon’s 117-ball innings underpinning 328 for five.
George Bell, Dane Vilas and George Balderson additionally added half-centuries after Lancashire had been inserted. Kent List A debutant seamer Jas Singh returned an encouraging 3 for 74 from 10 overs.
Lancashire then defended 329 with ease on a Stanley Park pitch not fully easy for batting. They put two wet no outcomes behind them as new-ball bowler Jack Blatherwick claimed a profession finest 4 for 52 from 10 overs in Kent’s 203 all out inside 40 overs.
Bohannon moved via the gears following a circumspect begin. Kent had been at their finest with the brand new ball and deserved extra early rewards. But they grew to become more and more ragged.
They conceded solely 34 runs from the primary 10 overs and ensured Bohannon did not hit a boundary till his thirty sixth ball – a six over long-on towards Hamidullah Qadri’s off-spin.
Bohannon’s quartet of sixes had been all hit down the bottom, an space opener Bell was significantly sturdy in en-route to 71. The two shared 112 for the second wicket from 15 for 1 after James Bazley had Keaton Jennings caught at second slip.
That was one in every of 4 catches for Spitfires skipper Jack Leaning. Two of them helped debutant seamer Singh take away Vilas and Balderson, caught for 51 and 57 attempting to assault late on. The 20-year-old had earlier bowled Bell following a heave to leg.
Bohannon reached his century – his ninth in all senior cricket – off 113 balls shortly after Lancashire had moved to 250 for 3 within the forty fourth over.
After navigating early challenges towards Bazley and new-ball accomplice Grant Stewart, who surprisingly solely bowled six overs for 17, the house innings was full of fearless strokeplay.
Balderson reached his fifty in solely 25 balls, and proper on the dying, rookie professional Matty Hurst scooped his first ball over the wicketkeeper’s head for one in every of three fours in a six-ball unbeaten 15.
Kent then made a troubled begin to their chase, slipping to 97 for 4 inside 20 overs.
Ben Compton miscued a large ball from Tom Bailey which appeared to cease on him to cowl within the third over earlier than Leaning was bowled by one which stored low from Blatherwick.
Alex Blake drove to mid-off towards Balderson, who then had Daniel Bell-Drummond caught behind for 38 by Hurst off a skied miscue. Bell-Drummond had been launched from Hundred obligation with London Spirit to play and completed as Kent’s top-scorer.
Fifth-wicket pair Harry Finch and Joey Evison then steadied with a 51-run stand, with the latter whipping a six off Tom Aspinwall’s seam. But their hopes had been dashed by Blatherwick, who returned to the assault and claimed three wickets in eight balls, together with two in two, to depart Kent floundering once more at 153 for 7 within the thirty fourth over.
Finch was caught behind for 31 off an inside-edge within the thirty second earlier than a pulling Australian Bazley top-edged his first ball to mid-off. In the following over, Evison was lbw for 30.
Left-arm spinner Jack Morley then struck twice earlier than some entertaining hitting from last-wicket pair, Singh and Matt Quinn, was ended by Aspinwall’s maiden senior wicket – Quinn caught at deep cowl by Blatherwick.