Billings, Crawley, Dickson & Rouse hit 50s in second XI T20s
Several Kent batsmen enjoyed some valuable time in the middle as the second XI plundered runs in two T20 wins against Unicorns at Saffron Malden.
Many Championship regulars enjoyed their first taste of T20 cricket and England white-ball star Sam Billings had a cameo to tune up for the upcoming NatWest T20 Blast matches.
In the first match, Adam Ball took 3/14 in four overs to help restrict the hosts to 134-7 with wickets for Imran Qayyum, Adam Riley and Grant Stewart.
An opening stand of 130 off 65 balls by Sean Dickson (68 off 38 balls) and Zak Crawley (52 off 32) helped Kent to a eight-wicket win with 50 balls to spare.
In the second match, Kent’s two pro glovemen joined forces to smash 135 off just 62 balls.
Adam Rouse hit five fours and four sixes in a 28-ball 53 and Sam Billings smashed eleven fours and four sixes in an innings of 84 off just 39 balls.
Academy scholar Ollie Robinson continued the trend of attacking wicketkeeper-batsmen with 24 off 13 balls to propel Kent to 212-7.
Former Glamorgan opener James Kettleborough and ex-Wiltshire batsman Ed Kilbee hit half-centuries in reply but scoreboard pressure told as Kent’s bowlers hit back.
Ball and Haggett struck twice and Imran Qayyum and academy scholar Ollie Hills took a wicket apiece to seal a 22-run win.