Kent suffer defeat to league leaders Warwickshire at Edgbaston

Clydesdale Bank 40
Group C
Warwickshire beat Kent by six wickets
Edgbaston

Kent: 192-9, 40 overs
Key 87, Ferley 52 not out
Rankin 4-34

Warwickshire: 193-4, 35 overs
Bell 55, Maddy 43 not out
Stevens 1-15

Captain Rob Key’s fine 87 was all in vain as Warwickshire cruised to a six wicket victory over Kent today in the latest round of Clydesdale Bank 40 matches.

The visitors were always chasing the game as, after being put into bat, they slumped to 73 for seven inside 19 overs, with Irish seamer Boyd Rankin taking three wickets in one magical over. However, Key (pictured) stood firm and he finally found a good ally in Rob Ferley.

The pair put on 94, for the eighth wicket, before Key fell to Darren Maddy after striking ten boundaries. Ferley ended up unbeaten on 52 but Kent’s final total of 192 for nine didn’t look enough to test a strong Bears batting line-up.

Despite the new ball pair of Azhar Mahmood and Makhaya Ntini taking a wicket apiece early on to reduce the home side to 31-2, Ian Bell (55) and Maddy (43 not out) composed the chase and saw Ian Westwood’s side home with five overs to spare as Warwickshire continued their 100 per-cent start to the CB40 competition. Kent are still searching for their first win of the campaign.

Picture:Getty Images