Kentish Express Ashford & District
Steyn stars to gun down Spitfires
Kent endured a miserable night in Cardiff with a thumping defeat to Glamorgan to lose further ground in NatWest T20 Blast on Friday.
Dale Steyn was the star for the hosts with a superb 4-18 in a rainshortened game as the Spitfires were bowled out for just 121 chasing 175-4 – a 55-run defeat under Duckworth/Lewis.
For a change, Kent won the toss in the South Group clash at Sophia Gardens but despite good work from Mitch Claydon, the hosts piled on the runs in their 16 overs.
David Lloyd smashed 97 not out from just 49 balls and South African Colin Ingram picked up where he left off last Sunday, with 60 from just 29 balls.
Their 9.3 overs together brought 132 runs for the second wicket – a record for the club against Kent.
James Tredwell (1-21 off two) had Ingram caught by Alex Blake, before catching Chris Cooke (2) himself 11 balls later off David Griffiths (1-44 off four).
However, Lloyd’s onslaught continued and despite a fine last over from Claydon, which saw him bowl Aneurin Donald for one and restrict the hosts to just five runs, they posted a total of 175-4.
Claydon was the pick of the Spitfires attack having earlier accounted for Jacques Rudolph (8) before the fireworks to finish with a respectable 2-27 off three overs.
With a target of 177, the reply began slowly, in contrast to blistering opening bowler Steyn who had Daniel Bell-Drummond caught by Lloyd for a four-ball duck.
In his second over, South African Steyn accounted for skipper Sam Northeast, bowled for 11.
It was 27-3 midway through the fifth over when Steyn again struck, having Sam Billings caught by Michael Hogan for one.
Joe Denly hit a four and a six but he holed out to Ingram off Hogan after hitting 23 from 17 balls to leave Kent 44-4 from 6.2 overs.
With Darren Stevens and Alex Blake in the middle, the Spitfires still had hope but at 61-4 at the midway point chasing a Duckworth/Lewis revised target of 177, they had it all to do.
When Stevens was bowled by Timm van der Gugten for 13, the writing was on the wall.
Fabian Cowdrey followed him back next ball to leave Kent 83-6 and Blake (30 from 25 balls) was caught by Wagg off Ingram in the next over to make it 87-7.
Coles and Tredwell rekindled their chemistry from Wednesday’s defeat to Essex by adding 32 from just 16 balls but Tredwell (5) became Steyn’s fourth scalp as he finished with 4-18 off four.
Coles hit 31 from 17 balls to give Kent some respectability but they fell well short.