In what turned out to be a rather one-sided contest at Stanley Park
on Wednesday, Lancashire’s big guns shot down the Spitfires from
Kent comfortably, winning the game by 125 runs, the margin being
lessened by a brave last-wicket partnership of 37 by Matt Quinn and
Jaskaran Singh, the latter on his List A debut.
Jack Leaning won the toss and decided to field and when he
caught Keaton Jennings at second slip for one with the total on 15
the decision, at that point, seemed as though it might be a good one.
However, that was the highlight of the Kent bowling performance as
from then on all the bowlers were put to the sword.
George Bell, 71 from 97 balls with seven fours, and Josh
Bohannon, a faultless 105 from 117 balls with four fours and four
sixes, added 112 for the second wicket before Dane Vilas, a quick-
fire 51 from 37 balls with five fours and two sixes, and George
Balderston, an even quicker 57 from 28 balls with five fours and four
sixes, helped to take Lancashire to an impressive 328-5. Singh was
the most successful Kent bowler with 3-74.
From Kent’s recent batting performances this looked likely to
be a total beyond their reach … and so it proved. They lost Ben
Compton early for four, and although Daniel Bell-Drummond battled
hard for 80 minutes in making a top score of 38 with five fours, no
other batsman survived anywhere near as long with Harry Finch’s 31
being the closest to his score.
Led by George Balderston, 4-52, his figures only ruined by
some big hitting by the last-wicket pair, Singh 19 not out with two
fours and one six, and Quinn 15 with a four and a six, the Lancashire
bowlers whittled their way through the Kent batting. Indeed 148-4
became 166-9 in the space of 18 balls before Tom Aspinwall took his
first List A wicket when he had Quinn caught by Blatherwick and
Kent were all out for 203 in 39.4 overs.
On a sun-kissed day and watched by a very healthy crowd,
Lancashire’s victory took them to second place in the table on net
run rate behind Nottinghamshire who lead Group A by one point.
Gerry Wolstenholme
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