Cricket Gloucestershire cruise to comfortable victory over Spitfires
GLOUCESTERSHIRE strolled to a chase of 148 to beat Kent by eight wickets with 38 balls to spare in the Vitality Blast last night.
It was the hosts’ third win of the competition and just a second defeat for Kent, who remain top of the South Group.
Some of the home side’s delight was taken away by an ankle injury to Ian Cockbain, who retired hurt on 30, but the game was comfortably won and their net run-rate was given a big boost.
Miles Hammond gave the chase the perfect start, striking the first two balls over cover for four and then the first two of the fourth for six over square leg.
But he miscued another pull and was caught for 33.
Chris Dent also swung a mighty six over deep square in the second over and lifted four more over midon, before helping take 21 from the final over of the powerplay, bowled by Grant Stewart, which Gloucestershire ended 75 for one and with a required rate of only five-an-over.
Dent fell for 37 in 21 balls before Glenn Phillips saw his side home with an unbeaten 41 from 25 balls, finishing the game with a switchhit six.
Kent, having been sent in, were given a bright start with Zak Crawley’s 43 from 29 deliveries. He flicked Daniel Worrall over midwicket for six in the opening over and clubbed another maximum in the fifth.
He targeted the short leg-side boundary again off Benny Howell for a third six before a top-edge, on 34, landed between two fielders.
He survived to strike Tom Smith down the ground for four but topedged a sweep to Worrall at deep
square. Crawley dominated the opening 10 overs where Kent made 74 for three.
Daniel Bell-Drummond tried to paddle-sweep Josh Shaw and lost both middle and off stumps while Joe Denly, becalmed on five from nine balls, slapped Howell straight to extra-cover.
Jordan Cox played a late hand with 36 in 28 balls, including scooping Worrall over deep-square for six, but the target proved well short.