Payne praises brilliant effort with the ball

DAVID Payne produced his best white-ball bowling performance of the campaign so far to inspire Gloucestershire to a six-wicket victory over Vitality Blast South Group rivals Kent in Bristol on Wednesday evening, writes Andy Stockhausen.

Now fully recovered from the injury and illness that sidelined him in the spring, the 31-year-old celebrated his England ODI callup by returning impressive figures of four for 15, including a burst of three wickets in four balls, as Kent were bowled out for just 114 in 19.3 overs.

Fellow seamer Zak Chappell claimed three for 24 and slow leftarmer Tom Smith weighed in with two for 22 as Gloucestershire exerted a stranglehold in the field to make it two wins from four outings in the short format.

Only Jordan Cox mustered any real kind of resistance, making 48 from 47 balls, with four fours and one maximum.

Gloucestershire’s chase was initially hampered by the loss of early wickets, but overseas player Glenn Phillips eventually took a grip on proceedings, smashing an unbeaten 50 from 31 balls as victory was achieved with 5.3 overs to spare.

Jack Taylor also played his part, making 31 from 21 balls with five fours in an unbroken stand of 70 for the fifth wicket.

Gloucestershire bowler Payne, pictured, said: “We highlighted our bowling in the powerplay as not having been good enough in the game against Surrey. We talked about winning the powerplay and not leaving our batsmen with too much to do.

“Everyone was brilliant with the ball. It was not the greatest pitch in the world and, when I tested it with an off-cutter early on and it stuck in the pitch a little, I knew that was the way to go.

“Jack Taylor and Glenn Phillips then put together an incredible partnership and it was impressive how they went about it.

“The wagon wheel appeared to be from third man to point, but those two were outstanding.

“I was relieved because, at one stage, I thought I might be out there ate the death trying to hit the winning runs in a tight finish!”

Payne opened up with that great T20 rarity, a wicket-maiden, persuading Joe Denly to sky a catch to Ian Cockbain at backward square leg and immediately justify the decision to insert Kent.

Payne later returned to have Cox held at the wicket, Grant Stewart dismissed in identical fashion next ball and Qais Ahmad caught at deep midwicket.