Beaumont, Belt and Marsh shine in Kent win

Tammy Beaumont hit an unbeaten 50 after Megan Belt and Laura Marsh shone with the ball as Kent defeated Yorkshire in the opening match of the 2018 Royal London Women’s County Championship.

Belt (3/15) and Marsh (3/18) helped restrict the visitors to 118 after early in-roads by Grace Gibbs (1/10) and Alice Davidson-Richards (1/22) at a resplendent County Ground, Beckenham.

Book tickets for Bank Holiday Monday’s match against Lancashire at Beckenham >

Beaumont’s 21st limited-overs half-century came off 83 balls as Kent chased the modest total with more than 16 overs to spare.

The Kent captain won the toss and opted to field first under blue skies, looking to make the most of any early moisture in the pitch.

New Zealander Arlene Kelly opened the bowling on debut but it was Gibbs who struck in between two run-outs by Beaumont and vice-captain Alice Davidson-Richards.

England Academy all-rounder Cloke bowled fellow Academy player Hollie Armitage before England Under-19 bat Jess Watson was stranded after a mix-up in the middle with England opener Lauren Winfield.

With wickets falling around her, the World-Cup winning star was also run out by a sharp throw from Davidson-Richards for 28.

Looking to rebuild, the visitors’ scoring slowed as England internationals Marsh and Davidson-Richards entered the attack.

Marsh’s tidy spell accounted for Anna Nicholls and Hannah Buck, both bowled for 1 and 3 before Davidson-Richards castled Walsh to leave the White Rose county on 61 for six in the 21st over.

Belt wrapped up the tail with three wickets to take her tally to 97 in Kent colours. An excellent Lydia Greenway catch at cover removed the experienced Beth Langston as the Kent head coach came on as substitute fielder to great effect.

Katie Levick drove the off-spinner to Kelly at mid-off for 12 before Scotland-born New Zealand international Leigh Kasparek was the last to fall, caught by Lauren Griffiths off a top-edge for 30 to close the innings.

In reply, Kent recovered from the early loss of Lottie Bryan as Beaumont (63*) and Davidson-Richards (40) shared a 91-run stand to put the hosts in control.

Scorecard >

Other results: Lancashire beat Middlesex by 10 wickets, Hampshire beat Notts by 4 wickets, Somerset tied with Warwickshire.

Next up for Kent is the visit of 2017 champions Lancashire to The County Ground, Beckenham on Bank Holiday Monday (7 May).

Entry is included in all Kent Memberships and free for Under 16s and Canterbury Christ Church University staff and students.

Click here to see world champions England in the Royal London ODI at Canterbury next month >