Kent Vitality T20 Blast Crossover II at St Lawrence Ground Win 4 pts

SPITFIRES GROUNDED, BY GEORGE

George Munsey (82 not out off 47 balls, 4x4, 7x6) came back to haunt his former club at a packed St Lawrence last night steering Notts to a crucial 4 wicket victory with eight balls to spare. They lie second in the Northern standings, the win over Kent their fourth T20 win in succession and third loss on the trot for the Hop boys.

Munsey who played 7 List A and 2 T20s games for Kent in 2021 averaging 46 has been in outstanding form throughout the Blast. Currently second the run scoring charts he has scored 333 runs @66.60. He is papering over the cracks of a batting line up where Clarke (86 runs @12.28) continues to misfire and which is badly missing an overseas batsman.

Notts won the toss and elected to bowl on what had been a very hot day in Canterbury with temperatures reaching 35 degrees C. So hot in fact that a band of travelling gypsies and their horses were spotted bathing in the Great Stour, the river that goes through the centre of the ancient city. The temperature had cooled somewhat to 28 degrees when the game started at 1900. The match was part of Canterbury Week, whatever happened to those I Zingari and Band of Brothers tents? I spotted around a dozen Notts fans who had made the trip down for the clubs first ever T20 game in Kent. Notts had lost a quarter final at TB to Kent in 2007 in their only previous T20 encounter.

Mohammad Amir, playing with a British passport, came in for his debut in place of Dillon Pennington. He will prove an useful addition bowling left arm seam. He bowled the opening over from the Nackington Road End and removed Finch lbw with his second ball, an inswinging delivery (0 for 1). Crawley hit the fifth ball to the backward square leg ropes, five off the first over including a leg bye. Crawley lofted Stone for four through square leg,  six including a leg bye off the 2nd over. Crawley hit Ali for four through backward point and then for a four through third man, 13 off the third over. Bell Drummond hit Stone for four through third man and a six over backward square leg, 14 off the over, Kent 39 for 1 after 4 overs and flying. Amir conceded five singles in the 5th over. Bell-Drummond hit Ali tor three successive fours (two through mid wicket and one through point). Crawley (27) fell to last delivery in the powerplay caught at short third man by McCann diving to the left off a slower delivery from Ali. Kent 58 for 2 after six overs.

Linde also back at his former county bowled the 7th over which went for six. Howell went for seven off the 8th over. Billings lofted Linde (2 0 24 0) for a straight four and the next two balls for successive sixes over mid wicket, 18 off the 9th over. Linde who an unsuccessful time with Kent a few years ago wasn't trusted with another over. Bell-Drummond (37) was caught low at deep mid wicket by Haynes off Stone (93 for 3). Five off the 10th over including a leg bye.

Howell conceded 7 off the 11th over. Joe Denly hit Patterson-White for six over long off, 11 off the 12th over. Howell went for five plus a leg bye in the 13th over.  Billings hit Patterson-White for six over extra cover. Patterson-White (2 0 30 1) thought he had Billings caught at long on when Stone parried the ball to the awaiting Linde, but Stone had just touched the ropes. The next ball went for six over long on. A single then took Billings to his 50 off 23 balls. An eventful over, which went for 19, ended with Denly (18) stumped by Moores,  137 for 4 after 14 overs. Benjamin (4) hit Howell for four through extra cover but attempting a cut shot was bowled next ball by the canny Howell (142 for 5). Six off Howell's (4 0 25 1) last over.

Stewart was dropped on 2 by Moores diving to his right off Stone (4 0 29 1) , five off the 16th over. Amir came down with cramp, but continued after treatment. Stewart pulled him for six over long leg and next ball lofted him for four over mid wicket, 13 off the 17th over. Stewart hit a full toss by Ali for six over long on. After two unsuccessful reverse scoops, Billings hit Ali for four through extra cover, 12 off the 18th over. Stewart (22) inside edged Amir (4 0 26 2) with Moores taking the catch (174 for 6), only four of the 19th over. Billings (64 off 38 balls, 2x4, 5x6) had got bogged down after reaching 50 and top edged Ali (4 0 45 2), Moores taking a simple catch as the ball re-entered from orbit (182 for 7).  Kent 184 for 7 off 20 overs with Dudgeon on 3 and Lintott on 1. It looked like a par score. Batsmen at times were struggling to time the seamers on the dry two paced pitch. The spinners proved expensive the boundaries were short straight and square on the side with the new retirement homes.

Clarke hit the first delivery of the innings bowled by Dudgeon (Pavilion End) for four through mid wicket, six off the first over including a leg bye. Munsey hit Milnes for four through cover, six off the second over. Clarke hit Stewart for four through backward point, six off the over plus four leg byes through fine leg, 22 for 0 off 3 overs. Munsey was dropped on 6 at short fine leg by Stewart off left arm seamer Klassen, a sitter. In retrospect probably cost Kent the game. Only two off the 4th over. Clarke hit Dudgeon for three successive fours (straight,  over mid wicket and through long leg). Attempting a fourth consecutive four Clarke (24) was caught at deep square leg by Crawley off Dudgeon (36 for 1), 13 off the 5th over. Haynes (1) was caught behind via an inside edge by keeper Billings off Milnes (37 for 2). McCann lofted Milnes for four over long on. Notts 42 for 2 off 6 overs. Advantage Kent.

McCann hit Stewart for a lofted four to mid wicket, 11 off the 7th over. Munsey switched hit Lintott for successive sixes over point, 14 off the 8th over. McCann switched hit Denly for four through backward point and then hit him for six over square leg. Frustratingly McCann (25) tamely hit Denly straight to Milnes at cover, 79 for 3 off 9 overs. Denly (1 0 12 1) not to bowl again. A good cameo but Freddie needed to kick on. Moores hit Klaasen for six over long off, eight off the 10th over. Notts now needed 98 off 10 overs. A drinks break followed.

Moores took four balls to get a single off Lintott, Munsey then hit him for six over mid wicket, seven off the 11th over. Moores tickled a four off Stewart (3 0 31 0) to fine leg, then next ball hit him for a square leg four to bring up the 100, 14 off the 12th over. Munsey lofted Lintott (3 0 43 0) for successive straight fours. The third and fourth balls were hit by Munsey for a sixes over mid wicket to being up his 50 off 29 balls, 20 off the 13th over. The on loan Lintott having a night to forget. Munsey was then dropped on 53 at mid off off Dudgeon and ran three  - a very difficult chance. He then hit the former Hucknall CC man for four through mid wicket, 10 off the 14th over. Notts seemingly well on top but then they were to have a mini collapse losing four wickets for five runs in eight balls.

Moores (20) blasted Milnes straight to Bell-Drummond at cover (141 for 4). Linde (1), having another mediocre match, soon departed bowled by Milnes off his second ball (143 for 5), five off the 15th over, Notts needed 40 off 5 overs. Howell (2) lost his off stump to Klassen (146 for 6), six off the 16th over. Crucially Munsey was still there and found a good partner in Patterson-White (22 off 10 balls, 2x6) who put bat to ball effectively.

Patterson-White was dropped at cover by Bell-Drummond off Dudgeon (4 0:43 1). A difficult one, the shot going fast and hard. Munsey hit a no ball for six over long on. Munsey was caught off the free hit and ran a single. Patterson-White then hit an enormous straight six, 16 off the 17th over. Nineteen needed off three overs. Notts took six singles off Klassen's (4 0 22 1) last over. Thirteen needed off the last two overs. Milnes who had taken 3 for 15 off his first three overs came back. It was two Notts trained boys in combat. Patterson-White ran a two off the first ball. Then after Patterson-White hit Milnes for six over mid wicket the crowd started leaving in their droves. A single followed. Then Munsey delivered the coup de grace at 22:07 by launching Miknes for a huge six over square leg which cleared the retirement homes. Milnes (3.4 0 30 3) had gone for another 15 runs off four balls.

A crucial away win and Notts looking stronger with the addition of Amir. Grace Road awaits tomorrow, Notts T20 record there somewhat mixed. MAG

Squad:

Joe Clarke

George Munsey

Freddie McCann

Jack Haynes

Tom Moores

George Linde

Benny Howell

Joe Pocklington

Mohammad Amir

Dillon Pennington

Mohammad Ali

Ben Martindale

James Hayes

Olly Stone

Farhan Ahmed

Liam Patterson-White

All things Pravda will be geared towards the Trent Bridge Test for the next few days.

Outlaws to play Kent Spitfires for only the second time in T20 history, Notts currently have a 0% win rate. The one previous meeting was at Trent Bridge where Notts effectively bottled-it in a quarter final - all a big let-down at the time in 2007.

This is squad from the last Outlaws' game, against Derbyshire:

Joe Clarke

George Munsey

Freddie McCann

Jack Haynes

Tom Moores

George Linde

Benny Howell

Joe Pocklington

Dillon Pennington

Mohammad Ali

Ben Martindale

James Hayes

Olly Stone

Liam Patterson-White

Owing to the choice of overseas not getting an opportunity so far but with the extended dry spell, could the little wizard get a chance to show his skills?