When Kent defeated the USA
Thursday 24th November 2022
Back in 2018, Kent faced the United States of America’s national side as a part of the Regional Super 50 – a 50-over competition organised by Cricket West Indies.
The Spitfires recorded two wins over the USA on their way to a semi-final berth in the tournament.
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8 February 2018 – Kent (215/9) def. USA (188/9) by 27 runs
Joe Denly hit 96 & off-spinner Adam Riley took three wickets as Kent beat the USA to record a third successive win on the FGS Plant Tour in Antigua.
View full scorecard [external link]
In a low-scoring contest at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, the Americans won the toss and invited Kent to bat.
Several batters got starts but only man-of-the-match Denly converted to a significant score for his 21st one-day half-century.
In reply, United States openers Sunny Sohal and Jaskarean Malhotra started aggressively before Calum Haggett trapped Sohal LBW in the fifth over.
Skipper Denly brought himself into the attack to stem the scoring and trapped former Windies batters Xavier Marshall in front as he got a leg break to grip.
USA captain Ibrahim Khaleel began to rebuild with Malhotra before he ran out the opener as Alex Blake’s direct hit denied a suicidal second run.
Khaleel then played the anchor role as Will Gidman Kent’s triumvirate of spinners strangled the scoring in the middle overs.
Gidman conceded just 13 runs in eight overs before Imran Qayyum picked up two wickets in his second Tour appearance.
Off-spinner Adam Riley grabbed 3/36 in a fine nine-over spell with Denly returning 1/37.
16 February 2018 – Kent (172/9) def. USA (142) by 30 runs
All-round displays from Calum Haggett and Grant Stewart aided by Imran Qayyum’s career-best haul secured a low-scoring win against the USA national team on the FGS Plant Tour.
View full scorecard [external link]
Haggett and Stewart’s gritty stand of 87 rescued Kent after an early wobble before the seamers returned to take two wickets apiece to help secure a 30-run win at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
Qayyum’s 4/33, a wicket for Adam Riley, a Will Gidman run-out and a tidy cameo from James Tredwell denied the Americans an upset and kept Kent’s West Indies Super50 semi-final hopes alive.
Stewart, in his second List A innings, top-scored with a career-best 44 and rotated the strike well with Haggett (42) as the pitch dried out on a balmy Caribbean afternoon.
The seventh-wicket partnership helped Kent recover from 51-6 to post 172 after opting to bat first on a damp pitch.
Earlier, Daniel Bell-Drummond (23) and Adam Rouse (12) were the only top-order batters to reach double figures as the USA attack reaped rewards of some tight early bowling.
Tall left-arm pacemen Elmore Hutchinson (2/33) and Saurabh Netravalkar (2/43) extracted movement with the new ball with slow left-armer Nosthush Kenjige taking 2/20 in a tidy spell.
Seamer Roy Silva picked up 2/31 as James Tredwell (18) and Adam Riley (14*) added 25 off 21 balls at the end.
In reply, Haggett and Stewart paired up again with the new ball at each end, keeping the openers in check before Malhotra flashed at a Stewart ball and was caught superbly by Daniel Bell-Drummond.
Kent opted to field all three specialist spinners in their squad to make the most of any assistance on a slow, used pitch.
After an opening maiden over, Qayyum struck in his next over as he removed former West Indies batter Xavier Marshall without scoring.
The new batter, Ibrahim Khaleel, did not last long, run out attempting an ambitious single to a direct hit from Will Gidman before Qayyum trapped obdurate former India Under-19 opener Sunny Sohal later in the over.
The umpire raised his index finger for the left-armer when Nisarg Patel played all round a delivery.
At the other end, Adam Riley showed good guile and control in the blustery conditions and got his rewards when Nrunal Patel hit against the spin and the wind to Grant Stewart at mid-on.
With USA ticking the scoreboard along and aggressive all-rounder Roy Silva reaching 50, man-of-the-match Calum Haggett capped a fine all-round display with the scalp of the right-hander.
His yorker swung the game back in Kent’s favour and the seamer struck again to remove Elmore Hutchinson with a full delivery before Stewart sealed victory by clean bowling Kenjige.
Gidman led the side in the absence of Joe Denly, who flew to the UAE that weekend to play in the Pakistan Super League.
