Kent reach Super50 Cup semis
Monday 19th February 2018
Kent beat hosts Leeward Islands to reach the West Indies Super50 Cup semi-finals on the FGS Plant Tour.
Adam Riley’s career-best 4/40 and half-centuries from Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sean Dickson aided by some aggressive late batting set up a convincing 23-run win in a rain-reduced contest.
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Openers Bell-Drummond (66) and Zak Crawley (43) gave Kent the perfect platform with a partnership of 96 before Dickson hit the accelerator as Kent added 88 in the last ten overs after winning the toss at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.
Bell-Drummond played the anchor role with his 17th one-day half-century as the Leewards spinners squeezed the scoring in the middle overs before Dickson smashed the second of four sixes to reach his fifth List A 50.
Dickson added 72 off 61 balls with Alex Blake for the fourth wicket before a flurry of wickets as incoming batsmen tried to maintain the momentum.
Will Gidman blasted a six off the final ball of the innings to reach 27* off 19 balls as Kent set the hosts a target of 267.
Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein (2/42) and seamer Orlando Peters (5/49) were the pick of the Hurricanes attack.
In reply, Leewards started superbly as openers Montcin Hodge (62) and Keacy Carty (69) shared a stand of 122 for the opening wicket.
Riley eventually got the breakthrough as Hodge picked out Crawley at long-on to the relief of the tourists.
After a 40-minute rain delay, the spinners put the brakes on the scoring with Riley trapping Carty LBW shortly after the resumption to bring two new players to the crease.
Imran Qayyum conceded just 36 runs in his 10-over spell at the other end as Riley ran through the Hurricanes top order.
Next to depart was Kofie James who picked out Gidman at extra cover before Terrence Ward was trapped LBW as he claimed career-best figures.
With the spinners’ allocations completed, Gidman and Stewart struck in quick succession as scoreboard pressure told.
Stewart’s superb off-cutter struck Orlando Peters’ off-stump before Justin Athaneze drove to Calum Haggett at long-off to leave the hosts 27 behind the Duckworth-Lewis target when the rain returned.
An academic chase of 40 off seven balls never looked likely and Kent reached the final four, to face 2017 champions Barbados at the same venue on Wednesday (6pm GMT).