Ball takes six wickets and hits two 50s as second XI beat Durham
Thursday 30th April 2015
All-rounder Adam Ball hit half-centuries in each innings as a Kent and Essex combined second XI beat Durham in Billericay.
Ball scored 88 not out off 159 balls to see the seconds home after taking six wickets with the ball and scoring a 50 in the first innings.
Kent and Essex bowled out Durham for 191 with Ball’s 12 overs rewarded with figures of 4-46.
Fit-again fast bowler David Griffiths returned to action and dismissed both openers in an excellent new-ball spell, ending with 2-28 in eight overs before Calum Haggett chipped in with 3-49 in 15 overs.
In reply, all-rounder Fabian Cowdrey hit 72 at the top of the order off 121 balls including eight fours and a six.
Cowdrey put on 87 for the second wicket with Ball who backed up his bowling with 53 off 122 balls as the combined side reached 217 and a lead of 26.
It could have been much more but the combined side lost seven wickets for 44 runs as Durham seamer Paul Coughlin claimed 5-36.
Second time round it was Matt Hunn that did the damage with the new ball, taking 3/68 in 16 overs.
Adam Ball continued a fine all-round contribution with 2-32 off ten overs as Durham were dismissed for 270, leaving Kent and Essex a target of 245 to win.
The chase started shakily as 20-year-old Essex triallist Liam Gough, son of ex-England paceman Darren, was run out for 4 before another famous name Cowdrey departed for 22 but Ball's unbeaten knock saw them home.