Denly: Victory has given our confidence a boost
Division 2, Key: CC2 = Specsavers County Championship RLC = Royal London One Day Cup Unlikely match-winner Joe Denly insists Kent have not become a bad team overnight.
After failing to defend scores well in excess of 300 in their previous two games Royal London One-Day Cup, the Spitfires managed to defend a meagre total of 200 on their way to their first white-ball win of the season on Sunday against Middlesex.
They were to visit Gloucestershire yesterday (Wednesday) before facing Surrey at The Oval on Friday and Glamorgan on Sunday.
Denly said: “We spoke before the game on the back of two disappointing defeats and (Sam Northeast) just said go out and play with freedom and express yourselves.
“It probably didn’t quite go to plan with the bat but with the ball I thought we bounced back brilliantly.
“We have to keep playing with due that freedom – there’s the belief there without a doubt. We don’t become a bad team overnight.
“There’s certainly quality in there. This is only going to do great things for our confidence.”
Spitfires beat Middlesex by 46 runs at the Spitfire Ground.
Denly, was the unlikely hero against his former club, though it was his bowling rather than his batting which made the difference, claiming a domestic career best 3-20 to help Kent turn the screw in the reply.
He said: “I’m always keen for a bowl and I’m always in Sam Northeast’s ear trying to get one. I was delighted to get a few overs. The guys got us off to a great start and it enabled me to come on and create a couple of opportunities.
“We thought 200 was probably below par although the wicket did offered quite a bit of assistance early on.
“What turned it for us was starting so well with the new ball. Wayne Parnell and Matt Coles were brilliant up top. Wayne got us two key wickets – Nick Gubbins has been going really well and we know Dawid Malan is a dangerous player.
“After that start our confidence grew and we were able to dry it up quite nicely in the middle too.”
A stunning one-handed diving catch from Denly off his own bowling led to wild celebrations and sent James Franklin back to the pavilion for 33, taking his side’s chances with him.
Modest Denly claimed: “It was just a reaction catch, I stuck my hand out and it stuck. It was one of those fluke moments but a great feeling.
“It was a big wicket I suppose. He was going pretty well. He probably got done with a bit of drift – I’m not a massive turner of the ball but it was drifting nicely.”