Match Reports: Kent Second XI vs. Jersey Cricket
Kent’s Second XI hosted two successive days of cricket at The County Ground, Beckenham, against the Jersey Cricket Board, who included a number of their international players in their squad.
Honours ended even, with the Kent side winning the 50-over match, and their visitors coming out on top with victory in the T20 encounter.
Jersey represent their Island in international cricket, and have been Associate Members of the International Cricket Council since 2007. They have played in World Cup matches, and are ranked in the mid-twenties in both competitions.
An excellent all-round team performance saw Kent Seconds win the 50-over match by 30 runs.
After posting 258 for 5, they bowled the Jersey side out for 228 in 48.1 overs. Two of Kent’s young players, former Academy scholar, Joe Gordon, and George Ealham, son of former Kent star, Mark, enjoyed a third wicket partnership of 109, Gordon making 60, and Ealham 58.
In a flurry of runs at the end of the innings, Harri Aravinthan was 36 not out, and wicket keeper, Ben Aldred, who plays for Bexley in the Kent League, 34 not out. Dan Birrell took 2 for 40 for the visitors.
Ben Stevens top scored with 39 in the Jersey innings but they lost wickets at regular intervals. Lloyd Pope took 3 for 50, Max Luckett 2 for 21 and Marcus O’Riordan 2 for 22. Trialist Pope, an Australian from New South Wales, making his debut for the Second XI is currently Canterbury’s overseas player in the Kent League.
Jersey are formidable opponents in T20 cricket and they were 23 run winners in the match against Kent Seconds. In international T20 games they have an impressive record of 17 victories in 25 matches.
Their innings of 193 for 6 was based on a brilliant knock of 72 by Julius Sumarauer off just 36 deliveries, with seven sixes and three boundaries before he was finally bowled by another Australian trialist in the Kent side, 6ft 6ins fast bowler, Mick Edwards, who has played for Sydney Sixes in the Big Bash League and is the overseas player for Kent League Division One leaders, Canterbury based, St Lawrence and Highland Court.
Kent Seconds did well in the end to reach 170 for 6 from their 20 overs, after a difficult start which saw them lose two wickets in the first couple of overs, skipper Marcus O’Riordan falling to the first delivery of the innings.
Some spirited batting from Kent Academy scholar, Harry Turner, who plays for Bexley’s Second team in the Kent League, showed his promising potential with an innings of 65 not out, with five boundaries and four sixes, taking Kent Seconds closer in the run chase than they might otherwise have reached considering their shaky start. Dan Birrell took 2 for 29 for Jersey.
Kent Second XI’s next fixture is a double-header T20 friendly against the Club Cricket Conference at the County Ground, Beckenham, on Wednesday, June 15. Entry is free and the matches commence at 11:30 & 15:00.
By Peter Burrowes
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