Second XI’s T20 campaign comes to an end

There was a frustrating end to Kent Second XI’s South Group T20 campaign, when they lost both matches in a double header with Hampshire at The County Ground, Beckenham, with the weather intervening in both games.

Overnight rain meant the first match in the morning, was reduced to nine overs a side, with Hampshire winning by just six runs.  The visitors were also winners in the afternoon match by 47 runs, under the Duckworth-Lewis method, when heavy rain brought a premature end to the game.

In the reduced overs match Kent won the toss and fielded, captain Harry Podmore taking 3 for 28 as Hampshire reached 105 for 7 from their nine overs. Tom Scriven smashed a half century off 20 deliveries, with four boundaries and four sixes in his 56 run innings. Felix Organ scored 21.

Kent started their innings with a 47 run opening partnership in 3.4 overs between Tawanda Muyeye, 35, and Alex Blake 14, but two wickets in his only over by Cameron Steel, set the home sides innings back. and Jacob Miltz 17 not out, and Marcus O’Riordan 10, not out, were only able to get Kent’s score to 99 for 3, just short of their victory target.

Winning the toss for the second time, Kent batted first in the twenty over afternoon match, and slumped to 115 for 6 after 15 overs, despite 39 from Harry Finch. The home side reached a respectable score, however, thanks to a seventh wicket partnership of 61 in 6.4 overs, by Matthew Patrick, a West Indies Under-19 international, making his first appearance for the Second XI, who was 38 not out, with six fours and a six in his innings, and Elliot Hooper 26. Kamran Khanna took 3 for 30 for the visitors.

Hampshire had reached 77 without loss off just five overs in their reply, when heavy rain finally ended the match. Organ was 48 not out, with four boundaries and four sixes and Cameron Steel 25 not out.

Kent Second XI’s next match sees them return to four day championship cricket, when they travel to Blackstone College, to play Sussex Seconds with the match starting on Monday June 28.

By Peter Burrowes