Stevens smashes seven sixes as Kent beat Essex in T20 friendly win
Friday 25th March 2016
Kent Spitfires began their NatWest T20 Blast preparations with an entertaining win against Essex at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence.
Somerset come to Canterbury for the opener on Friday 20 May and Darren Stevens showed his class with bat and ball by blasting an unbeaten 64 off 28 balls before striking twice with the new ball in his second over.
Kent started strongly with openers Daniel Bell-Drummond (52 off 38) and Sean Dickson (52 off 31) combining for an opening stand of 103.
Bell-Drummond reached 50 with a square cut for his third boundary in addition to an earlier straight six before being stumped after Ashar Zaidi beat him with extra flight.
Dickson batted powerfully after a patient start, smashing three maximums before being trapped LBW by Zaidi.
Sam Northeast contributed 19 before top-edging Bopara to gloveman Foster before Darren Stevens hit the ball over the ropes with ease on seven occasions, aided by Alex Blake’s cameo of seven from five balls to pass 200.
In reply, Stevens struck twice the new ball to remove Daniel Lawrence and Jaik Mickleburgh and Academy graduate Hugh Bernard conceded just 21 runs in a fine four-over spell.
Imran Qayyum removed opener Ravi Bopara who holed out to Northeast before Ryan ten Doeschate (78) and Ashar Zaidi (54) fought back to threaten an unlikely win.
Both men hit five sixes before Calum Haggett (3-11 from four overs) removed both with great catches in the deep from Dickson, Cowdrey and Blake.
Perennial fielder of the year Blake calmed Kent nerves with a great sliding effort to dismiss James Foster in the final over bowled by Charlie Hartley.