KENT CRICKET

Mitch Claydon was a boundary away from going from hero to zero in Kent’s victory over Hampshire in the Vitality Blast at Beckenham on Friday

Claydon held his nerve in the final over to defend 16 from the final six balls as the Spitfires claimed a threerun victory.

Under the pressure of Hampshire needing a four to tie and a six to win from the final delivery he nailed his yorker to concede just a single.

Claydon said: “You’ve just got to be relaxed. You can go from hero to zero in an over like that. It’s something through my career I’ve done a lot of and I’ve come to accept that some days it comes off and others it doesn’t.

“These guys can clear the fences so easily now on such a good pitch. I was a boundary away from being zero there. “I’m quite fortunate it went my way. “If ever I’m under the pump at the end of the game all I tell the captain is I’ll bowl my best ball and that’s a straight yorker.

“Sam Billings came over and said bowl your best ball and that was it. I didn’t need to think of anything else.”

Skipper Sam Billings scored his highest T20 innings of his career with 95 not out as Kent amassed 210-4 batting first at Beckenham.

The Spitfires got off to a fantastic start with the ball after reducing Hampshire to 6-3 in the second over.

However, Hampshire regrouped and took it to the final delivery of the match.

Claydon said: “You look at the first few overs and a few gripped and we thought 180 or 190 would be par.

“Once guys got going it was that good a pitch that if it’s 10 yards either side of a fielder, unless you are Heino Kuhn, it’s four runs.

“I thought they played very well to keep it to 10-an-over for the last five after losing early wickets.

“It was a great performance (from us) but it just goes to show in T20 they were never out of it, even on 6-3.”

Claydon has missed a number of games this season through injuries to his hand and groin.

He added: “I feel like I owe these boys a little bit with how my season has gone with the two or three injuries I had.

“It has been tough watching but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed seeing them play so well. To be out there and contribute to a win is something I’m proud of.

“This side comes through in close games. In previous years, especially in my time at Kent, those are the games we lost and you look back at the end of a competition and think if only we’d won that one.”