Kent Overpower Surrey at The Oval
Thursday 5th July 2012
Kent kept their Friends Life t20 qualification hopes alive by securing a 48-run win over Surrey in a low scoring thriller on a turning pitch at The Oval.
In front of a 13,500 crowd, the hosts fielded four spinners to restrict Kent to a seemingly modest 136 for eight.
Kent's attack performed wonders to skittle the demoralised hosts for 88 with 15 balls to spare to leave their plans of reaching the quarter-finals in tatters. It was Surrey's lowest all out total since t20 started 10 seasons ago.
Surrey's pursuit began to unravel as early as the sixth ball of the reply when star man Kevin Pietersen perished after being trapped in front working across the line to a Mark Davies off-cutter.
Jason Roy followed without scoring in the next over after shuffling across stumps to be bowled by Azhar Mahmood.
Davies struck again to have Rory Burns snaffled at short midwicket, then Mahmood bagged his second scalp by having Steven Davies caught behind when attempting a steer to third man.
Surrey chipped and chased their way to 51 for four at the mid-point of the reply but, with 86 needed off the last 60 balls, the pressure started to tell.
Zafar Ansari played across one to be bowled by Darren Stevens, who four balls later and positioned at mid-on in the next over, ran out Murali Kartik for nought and without having faced a ball.
Off-spinner Adam Riley then took two wickets in three balls to put the result beyond doubt.
Zander de Bruyn came down the pitch and was stumped down the leg side then Matt Spriegel played round an arm ball to go leg before, leaving Adam Ball to finish the job off by having Gareth Batty stumped.
Kent made a sluggish start to spin at both ends and lost Sam Northeast for 12 when, in working to leg, the right-hander toe-ended Spriegel to Pietersen running in from mid-on.
Fellow opener Sam Billings then heaved horribly across a good-length ball from Chris Tremlett to be caught behind.
Darren Stevens soon followed for six when an attempted slog-sweep against Kartik sailed high to Pietersen at backward point to make it 54 for three.
Mahmood's went for seven, stumped off Ansari after dragging his back foot having missed an attempted straight drive against Ansari.
Visiting captain Rob Key gave Pietersen a third catch and Ansari his second scalp when, with 35 from 31 balls to his name, he ran down the pitch to drive into the hands of the man at extra cover.
Blake combined with Jones to add 40 in 4.5 overs before Jones (13) missed an attempted scoop against Tremlett and lost his middle stump.
Blake equal top-scored with 35 before holing out to deep midwicket off Dirk Nannes, then Ball followed suit in top-edging to long leg leaving Mark Davies to survive the hat-trick ball and Nannes with figures of two for 23.
Alex Blake was named Sky Sports'Man of the Match
Photo Sarah Ansell – SarahCanterbury.com