Kiwi Ronchi has the Luke of love
LEICESTERSHIRE completed a second win in two days to put themselves back in the hunt for quarter-final qualification, beating Yorkshire by four wickets with two balls remaining in the T20 Blast.
A spectacular half-century from New Zealand international Luke Ronchi, hit off just 19 balls, set the Foxes on their way.
Colin Ackermann’s unbeaten 58, made off 47 balls, saw them cross the line in the final over.
Yorkshire must now beat Meanwhile, Britain’s premier 400m runner Matthew Hudson-Smith was at the centre of a World Championship row after opting out of helping the 4x400m relay squad reach today’s final.
Martyn Rooney, who anchored the team to fourth place in the heats yesterday, told Hudson-Smith to, ‘get his head right’ when pushed on why the Wolverhampton sprinter had refused to run – just 20 minutes before the race.
An upset Rooney said: “As far as I’m aware, Matt has taken himself out of the team. He has his own issues to sort out. It’s a massive shame because he’s a super talent. He’s had a great championships but he has to get his head right.”
The feud has been simmering Northants at home on Thursday in their final group fixture to have any chance of qualifying.
Yorkshire’s total was based on an explosive 75 from Tom Kohler-Cadmore – the right-hander’s best T20 score since joining them from Worcestershire – made from just 40 balls.
Meanwhile, Adam Milne claimed five for 11 as Kent Spitfires beat Somerset by six wickets at Taunton since last summer’s Olympics in Rio when an error by Hudson-Smith, who was ruled to have had part of his foot out of the takeover zone when he began running the third leg, led to the British team being disqualified.
It cost them victory in their heat and the chance of a medal.
Rooney insisted Hudson-Smith could still run in the final.
As it was, the quartet of Rabah Yousif, Dwayne Cowan, Jack Green and Rooney set a season’s-best time of 3mins 10secs in the East London sunshine but still only just qualified as fastest losers.
The British women’s 4x400m quartet of Zoey Clark, Laviai Nielsen, Perri Shakes-Drayton and Emily Diamond who ran a season’s-best of 3mins 24.74secs to reach their final. to keep alive their chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Returning his best figures for Kent, the New Zealand paceman registered 10 dot balls in 3.5overs in addition to his wickets as the home side were dismissed for
149 in 18.5 overs.
Sam Billings then posted an unbeaten 56 from 36 balls as the visitors reached their target with
10 deliveries to spare as they inflicted Somerset’s first home loss in the competition upon them.