Kent win by 10 runs

ANDREW HALL and Amjad Khan bagged three wickets apiece to inspire a dramatic Sussex collapse as Kent bagged a thrilling 10-run win in front of a 6,000 sell-out crowd in Hove.

Having posted a seemingly modest total of 155 for seven and on seeing the hosts race to 120 for three a home win looked almost inevitable, but once again Spitfires showed a mean streak previously unseen in this competition to turn the game around.

The reply had started ominously as Matt Prior, having hit two boundaries in a quick-fire 13, chanced running a second to third-man but Joe Denly’s quick pick-up and arrow-like throw down the Hove slope sent him packing to a stunning run out at the striker’s end.

Having just driven his third four opener Richard Montgomerie (15) miscued a Tyron Henderson slower ball high to James Tredwell at mid-on.

Chris Nash (8) was called through for a suicidal single to Matthew Walker at backward point by his skipper Chris Adams to be run out at the non-striker’s end by the bowler Neil Dexter.

That bought together Adams and quirky left-hander Michael Yardy and with 80 needed off the final 10 overs with seven wickets intact the hosts were already firm favourites.

The experienced fourth wicket partner worked the ball into the gaps superbly and, with low-risk shots along the floor, kept the scoreboard ticking nicely.

They had reached 96 when the acting Kent skipper Min Patel introduced himself at the Cromwell Road End and entice Adams to go aerial for the first time.

It should have proved fatal as, with his score on 44, Adams miscued high to long-on but with Denly, Amjad Khan and Andrew Hall all converging into the same space, spilt the chance allowing Adams to go on.

Yardy, who walks across his stumps as the bowler delivers, left himself open to Hall’s leg stump yorker to go for 15 and make it 120 for four and end a stand worth 66 in eight overs.

Three runs and as many balls later and with his score on 63 from 43 balls Adams drove at a Hall lifter and edged to O’Brien and with his next delivery Hall plucked out Carl Hopkinson’s off stump with another rapid yorker.

Khan got in on the yorker act by pegging back Yasir Arafat’s off stump for four in the next over and with 28 needed from three overs the pendulum had swung the way of the Spitfires.

Patel had Robin Martin-Jenkins (3) well caught by Martin van Jaarsveld running in from long-off and, with 18 needed from the last two overs Khan, pumped up by Kent’s fight back, yorked Luke Wright for six and plucked out off and leg stumps in the process.

With his penultimate delivery of the night Khan bamboozled James Kirtley (1) with a slower ball to send him packing leg-before and seal a thrilling win.

The Sharks had lost their last seven wickets for 25 runs in the space of 22 balls as Kent bit back to land their fifth win in six starts and all but assure their place in the quarter-finals for the first time in the four-year history of the cup.

Khan finished with three for 33 but hall took the man-of-the-macth honours for his three over stint of three for 15.

Earlier, Kent’s innings had started in a whirl as Neil Dexter and Darren Stevens posted 61 in six overs to register Spitfires best start in the competition this year.

Stevens showed his intent by cutting a decent length ball from Yasir Arafat high over point for six in racing to 32 from 22 balls including five fours until his fun came to an end when picking out Arafat when positioned on the long-on ropes.

Dexter and fellow South African Andrew Hall then combined forces to add 39 in five overs with Hall contributing 28 from 17 balls until he picked out the leaping Robin Martin-Jenkins at long-off, had it been a shorter man Hall would have been celebrating a six.

The stunning start began to falter at 92 for two after nine overs following the introduction of Michael Yardy’s flat left-arm seamers and Sean Heather’s floating seamers.

In the next eight overs Kent would only accumulate 38 runs as the Sharks backed their two part-time bowlers with some excellent, athletic fielding.

Martin van Jaarsveld (4) chipped a catch to mid-on then Dexter, having slowed noticeably to reach 36 from 39 balls, hit a low full-toss from Heather straight to Carl Hopkinson at deep mid-wicket.

Henderson, with his score on four, followed suit by picking out Luke Wright from another full-toss and Denly (2), who replaced Rob Key lost his leg stump to a James Kirtley yorker.

Tredwell (2) mistimed a drive to mid-off and as the wickets tumbled the boundary count all but dried out with only three coming in the final nine overs of the innings.

They were included in Matthew Walker’s 23-ball cameo of 27, his innings and Kent’s total ultimately proved just enough.