Kent Spitfires v Durham Dynamos

FOR the second weekend running Darren Stevens was the Spitfires' batting hero with an unbeaten 85 as Kent edged a three-wicket win over Durham to take a two-point lead at the top of the NatWest Pro40 Division 2.

Batting virtually on one leg after straining his groin when on 25, Stevens overcame the pain barrier and the tension of another Kent run chase to post his highest one-day score for Kent from 59 balls and with 13 fours and a six.

Forced to plant his feet and bat in a stand and deliver style, Stevens clattered three fours in one over from England pace star Steve Harmison then dealt out similar treatment to Otis Gibson to give Kent their third league win from as many starts.

He left James Tredwell to hit the winning runs, however, and it was the left hander who clubbed a boundary over mid-wicket off Gibson and then a single in similar style to secure victory with seven balls to spare.

Played out in front of a 5,000-plus crowd that remained strangely subdued throughout much of the day, Kent struggled for fluency and form as they responded to Durham's total of 203 all out.

Though many hundreds had their photo taken with the Twenty20 Cup and their derby-winning mascot Bomber the Spitfire made his inaugural appearance at St Lawrence, the team display proved initially lethargic as openers Rob key and Joe Denly went early in the reply.

Key (5) lost middle and leg stumps at Liam Plunkett then Denly, after scratching around to score 13 off 51-balls, edged low to slip to make it 43 for two.

The gloomy mood deepened when pinch-hitter Simon Cook failed and holed out for one and then when Martin van Jaarsveld and Matt Walker, both with 26, chipped lame catches to the infield to make it 101 for five after 26 overs.

It was pretty much down to Geraint Jones and Stevens to win it thereafter and although Jones went lamely cutting and then Ryan McLaren was bowled around his legs, Stevens again proved his mettle in steering Kent home.

Earlier, the Dynamos, having made a faltering start after electing to bat first, re-grouped to reach 108 for three at the mid-point only to run out of energy late in the innings.

Phil Mustard (4) and Kyle Coetzer (0) went early in the piece, both to Pakistan all-rounder Yasir Arafat who, after a disappointing four-day display against Surrey, bounced back to take an impressive three for 25.

It was left to the experienced trio of Michel di Venuto (57), Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dale Benkenstein (48) to help lead a revival that, at one point, had some Durham backers thinking they could post 250.

Unusually Simon Cook went for 24 off two overs, including 18 of six balls to Chanderpaul, and had to be removed from the attack but, as with Kent's successful Twenty20 Cup campaign, Key was able to rely on Stevens and James Tredwell.

The off-spinner bowled Chanderpaul around his legs after 37 at a run-a-ball with his very first delivery, and then Di Venuto chipped to cover point off the same bowler to knock the stuffing out of the Durham innings.

To make matters worse for the visitors, Stevens then got in on the act to dismiss Gareth Breese and Garry Park cheaply and then send back dangerman Benkenstein to a catch at long on.

The Durham innings tailed off thereafter and they were dismissed two deliveries short of their full 20-over allocation.

Scores: Durham 203 all out after 39.4 overs; Kent 204 for seven after 38.5 overs. Kent 2pts Durham 0pts.