Stevens breaks Kent record in Swansea defeat
Darren Stevens hit the highest one-day score in the club’s history as Kent Spitfires lost a high-scoring thriller at Swansea.
Chasing 357 to win, the 41-year-old smashed 14 sixes and ten fours in a blistering innings of 147 from just 67 balls to surpass the previous best by Andrew Symonds against Lancashire at Tunbridge Wells in 2004.
The ball has never cleared the ropes more in a county match than the 35 sixes scored in a record-equalling assault by the batsmen in South Wales.
Matt Coles (2/32) and James Tredwell (0/56) were the only batsman to escape punishment as the other bowlers conceded more than a run a ball.
Colin Ingram smashed eight sixes in an excellent 114 before the Glamorgan middle and lower order added another eight as the hosts posted 356 for seven.
The South African’s 93-ball hundred and Bragg’s 94 off 101 balls looked circumspect in comparison with the Stevens’ tirade of shots in a 48-ball hundred.
The veteran all-rounder, making his 300th one-day appearance, cut loose after taking 11 balls to reach 7 with a boundary-hitting bonanza that put victory in sight.
Visiting skipper Jacques Rudolph rotated the bowlers to little effect as Stevens bludgeoned the ball to all corners of the St Helen’s ground including one blow off Ingram that carried almost 100 metres.
Cameos from Matt Coles (26 off 18 balls) and James Tredwell (28 off 25 balls) got the Spitfires in sight of the target before the latter was run out trying to get number 11 Ivan Thomas off strike with 16 runs required and 16 balls to spare.
The next home match is a day-night Battle of the Bridge showdown against Essex Eagles at The Spitfire Ground on Wednesday 17 May (1.30pm).