Van Jaarsveld seals Kent’s emphatic eight-wicket win

Kent Spitfires v Leicestershire Foxes CB40, Division 2 in Canterbury

By Mark Pennell

Kids for a quid day proved great value at St Lawrence where Kent recorded their third win of the league campaign and their first against a fellow-county in emphatic style as they drubbed Foxes by eight wickets with over 13 overs in hand.
Having won the toss and elected to bat, Leicestershire made a stunning start to reach 41 without loss after four overs only to lose all ten wickets for 106 inside in 25 overs.
Opener and top-scorer James Benning (37) and Jacques du Toit ensured the Foxes did well against Kent“s makeshift new ball pairing of Darren Stevens and Amjad Khan.
Matt Coles, back in the side in place of Azhar Mahmood, accounted for du Toit (13) leg before but it was the introduction of spin at both ends that turned the game irrevocably Spitfires way.
Sri Lankan leg-spinner Malinga Bandara did the early damage with five for 35 – his best figures since joining the county – two of them to sharp stumpings by wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.
Off-spinner James Tredwell turned one through gate to bowl Danny Masters as he played back, then occasional off-spinner Martin van Jaarsveld chipped in with three for 23 – his best limited overs figures since joining Kent five years ago as the Foxes capitulated to 148 all out in only 30.1 overs.
Having been set a modest pursuit for victory at a rate of 3.8 an over Kent had 50 up on the board through openers Rob Key (26) and Joe Denly (39) in nine overs before Key clipped a return catch to Denning.
Having hit five boundaries in his 51-ball stay Denly followed seven overs later when missing on over ambitions shot against James Taylor, but it was to prove Kent“s last slip up in an otherwise ruthless display.
Vice-captain Martin van Jaarsveld with an unbeaten 56 scored at a run-a-minute, and No4 batsman Geraint Jones, with a cameo 25 from 24 balls, duly eased Kent home to victory with 83 balls to spare and inflict a fifth defeat of the campaign of Leicestershire.