Junior Journo: Alex & Ruby’s Match Report
On Thursday at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Kent Cricket welcomed Alex & Ruby, our Junior Journos for the Club’s Community Day – Kent Spitfires vs. Notts Outlaws in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.
We’re back at Canterbury on Sunday for the ‘Battle of the Bridge’!
We welcome Essex to The Spitfire Ground in a 50-over showdown – Under 15s tickets are just £1!
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The duo got to interview their favourite players, Daniel Bell-Drummond & Alex Blake, as well as speaking to our One Day Cup partners WW Martin & the Kent team before, during & after the match.
Their other task for the day was to give us a Junior Journo match report. Here is their take on the match:
Kent Spitfires hosted Notts Outlaws in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, in what was a tense finish for both teams. The match went to the final over as the visitors picked up the victory with one wicket remaining.
Both teams went into this middle of the table clash looking for a victory. The Spitfires were looking for a third win on the bounce, following victories against Surrey and Middlesex previously.
Jack Leaning won the toss and chose to bat first with the openers putting on 138 runs for the first wicket, when Compton was caught and bowled by Patterson-White for 59 runs from 81 balls, a solid start. Just six runs later, Bell-Drummond followed after being caught behind off the bowling of Loten for 79 runs from 89 balls, another half century for the inform opener. The Spitfires were 144-2.
It was a good start for Kent who were looking for 300 runs at home. But the Outlaws continued to pick up wickets which slowed the run rate and pegged the Spitfires back well. Leaning, Blake, Denly, Bazley and Stewart all made it to double figures with the latter hitting 2 fours and 2 sixes in 15 balls for his 25 runs. The innings ended on 259-9.
Lyndon James was the pick of the Outlaws bowling attack with figures of 4 for 45 from his 10 overs.
The interval saw hundreds of supporters swarm the outfield to enjoy playing mini cricket on the hallow turf at the home of cricket. It was Community Day and over 3,000 supporters came to cheer on the Spitfires.
The Outlaws went about the run chase at a steady pace with the first wicket falling in the 16th over, Slater bowled by Qadri for 29 runs. Two overs later Qadri was at it again bowling James for 8 runs.
Then again, a few overs later a run out from Compton saw Martindale depart for 38 runs, the Spitfires continued to take wickets to slow the Outlaws run chase, but all the time Montgomery was at the crease, it felt like they were in control.
Montgomery finished 92 not out as the Outlaws chased down Kent’s 259 with just one ball to spare to finish on 263 for nine, after a determined last-wicket stand by Montgomery and Dane Paterson.
Hamid Qadri was the pick of the Kent attack with figures of 4 for 47 from his 10 overs, with Daniel Bell-Drummond top scoring for the home side with 79 runs.
Kent Spitfires face Essex at home on Sunday at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence and then travel to the Isle Of Wight to face Hampshire at Newclose County Cricket Ground, Newport, who are currently second in the table.
All to play for!
By Alex & Ruby
Alex, Ruby & other juniors in attendance all collected the signatures of their Kent heroes, on FREE autograph sheets, after the end of the match.
The Metro Bank One Day Cup is throughout in the school Summer Holidays!
Kent Spitfires will defend their title at home in Canterbury, with Under 15s tickets just £1!
