Bell-Drummond tolls for Hampshire as Kent win first in six
Kent 180 for 4 (Bell-Drummond 89) beat Hampshire 177 for 7 (Weatherley 67, McDermott 57) by six wickets
The normal temper across the Spitfire Ground was one in all contentment heading into the go to of Hampshire, if solely as a result of it was Friday night time and the solar was shining. Five defeats on the bounce, most just lately right here in opposition to Essex three days in the past, had created a palpable apathy round a Kent white-ball staff who, on paper at the least, spark pleasure.
Within six balls, apathy had turned to hope. James Vince, one of many event’s kind gamers with 406 runs from seven innings coming into tonight, had been seen off for a golden duck, off stump taken for a stroll by Fred Klassen. Just a few hours later, they have been celebrating a primary win in six, toppling a goal of 177 with three deliveries to spare. Somehow, they’re nonetheless preventing for this Vitality Blast.
For that, they owe due to Daniel Bell-Drummond and an 89 off 55 deliveries that acquired the run chase off to tremendous begin, then assumed the duty to take it shut sufficient to the tip to stroll off glad. Dismayed, too, as he chipped Nathan Ellis to Vince at mid off. But the remaining 18 runs had 20 deliveries to work with. Skipper Sam Billings whittled that down with a brace of reverse sweeps for 4, earlier than Jack Leaning rolled his wrists on a brief ball from Chris Wood to ship the gang into raptures.
The vibe of Canterbury, even the expectation, dialled up with Vince’s dismissal. The Hampshire captain offered it properly, staring within the obscure space Klassen’s supply had pitched and deviated sufficient to go away him completely flummoxed. When Klassen repeated the trick to go away Toby Albert off-stump-less in his subsequent over, making it 17 for two, the gang have been locked in. Kent had determined to bowl first this time, and issues have been starting to go their method.
A stand of 85 between Ben McDermott and Joe Weatherley, finally, offered the meat on the bones of Hampshire’s innings. The finish of the Power Play – 43 for two – merely heightened their intent, notably McDermott, who wanted simply 13 deliveries to take his rating from 19 (the place it was on the finish of six overs) to a 27-ball half-century.
The aggression was solely on the Australian, although he rapidly gave up a run to the striker’s finish when Weatherley referred to as late after flicking straight to Klassen contained in the circle at tremendous leg. This time, the Dutchman missed the stumps, and McDermott then lifted Grant Stewart over sq. leg to rub it in somewhat. An try and carve the following supply over cowl discovered Tawanda Mueyeye lurking within the deep.
It was from that time the guests spluttered. Considering they have been 102 for two halfway by means of the eleventh over, solely including 75 off the remaining 57 deliveries on a quick-scoring floor was an error from an skilled batting line-up, in opposition to an assault shorn of confidence.
There was prepared, after all. Ross Whiteley and James Fuller, two middle-order bruisers who wouldn’t look misplaced manning the doorways on the rowdier institutions on Canterbury excessive road, didn’t impose themselves, with 11 off 12 and 4 off 5 respectively.
Weatherley was prepared, his personal half-century (a second of the season) taking 35 deliveries, although discovered himself wallowing on the non-striker’s finish whereas the large hitters failed to search out their toes. Weatherley’s try and manufacture a six led to a steepling catch brilliantly taken by Stewart working round from quick tremendous leg to sq. leg for Richardson’s solely wicket, returning the favour after the reverse had ended Whiteley’s keep. Liam Dawson’s 25 lifted Hampshire to par, however the truth he struck the final three boundaries of the innings throughout the ultimate 19 deliveries of the innings – the final of which, a six carved over level, got here second ball of the ultimate over – spoke of misjudgements of types.
Kent’s openers have been beacons amid the gloom, and so they skipped to a gap stand of 59. That it ended within the last over of the powerplay seemed a degree of competition. Tawanda Muyeye seemed bemused at being given leg earlier than to the precocious John Turner, although the batter may not have been the perfect decide contemplating he was rolling over following an tried lap.
The 22-year-old was fortunate to have made it that far. Who is aware of what might need occurred had James Fuller held onto a comparatively easy chase to take away the opener on 5 and in flip, have Kent 9 for 1. That error was compounded when Fuller’s first over was blitzed for 21, courtesy of a brace of sixes sandwiching a 4 from Bell-Drummond.
That Bell-Drummond was Kent’s main run-scorer with simply 158 from six innings going into this match was as a lot a sign of the dearth of assist down the order as his personal profligacy. Even although he has stayed true to a domineering strategy, standing somewhat squarer on this format and chocking the deal with somewhat decrease to flick and whip somewhat simpler, there was a way he may must do issues in another way. Perhaps flip the attacking dial down a notch and spend somewhat longer on the crease as one of many few in nick.
As it seems, there was no compromise to be made. Why not each? He rocked forwards and backwards, carving boundaries on each side of the wicket, earlier than standing agency and crunching the often unhittable Dawson over broad mid on for his fourth six to take the speed underneath a run a ball (28 off 30).
There was scope for a cock-up. When Billings misplaced his off stump to Ellis within the penultimate over, which reaped simply two runs for Kent, Hampshire figured they might prey on a staff who have not closed properly. Vince ramped up the nervousness with as many as three fielding adjustments earlier than Chris Wood ran in for the primary supply of the ultimate over.
It virtually – virtually – produced, with Mason Crane narrowly lacking a run out of Leaning after Jordan Cox had tipped and run to midwicket. Alas, Kent held their nerve for a primary win in six at hand Hampshire their first loss in as many.
Vithushan Ehantharajah is an affiliate editor at ESPNcricinfo