Stevens shines as Kent achieve world record run-chase

Match Report: KENT SPITFIRES vs. SUSSEX SHARKS – 19^th June 2013 

Kent Spitfires last night claimed a record-breaking victory over local rivals Sussex Sharks in the Yorkshire Bank 40 competition, after chasing down 336-5 with three wickets and an over to spare. Kent’s score of 337-7 was the highest ever successful run chase in 40-over cricket history.

Darren Stevens stole the show for Kent, blasting his way to 118 off 53 balls, to lead his team to victory on a glorious floodlit night in Canterbury. Stevens reached his century off just 44 balls, scoring twelve 4s and seven 6s, before he was caught on the deep mid-wicket boundary with the score on 291. Sam Northeast then put Kent within touching distance with a century of his own, his maiden List A hundred (his previous best was 69), before a wide in the penultimate over handed Kent the win.

Sussex’s total of 336 had already set a landmark for the largest limited-overs total at the Spitfire Ground, formerly known as the St. Lawrence Ground, after Luke Wright blitzed his way to 115 off 61 balls, with an astonishing display of power-hitting. However, Wright’s innings was overshadowed by Stevens, who is now in pole position to win the coveted Walter Lawrence Trophy, awarded to the scorer of the fastest century this summer.

Having won the toss, Kent captain Geraint Jones might have been regretting his decision to field first at the halfway stage of the Sussex innings, with the visitors already amassing over 200 runs for the loss of just one wicket. Luke Wright and opening partner Chris Nash got the Sharks off to a blistering start, with an opening stand of 194 from 18.3 overs, the highest ever partnership by a Sussex pair against Kent in all forms of one day cricket.

Although Sussex’s pace slowed, largely thanks to tight bowling from Stevens and off-spinner Adam Riley, a profitable partnership between the innovative Michael Yardy (46) and young left-hander Matt Machan (41*) meant the Sharks finished with a formidable total. Although all of Kent’s bowlers took some stick, it was the unfortunate Calum Haggett who made the record books, as his eight overs leaked a mammoth ninety-seven runs.

With the required rate at 8.4 per over from the start of Kent’s innings, it was critical their openers made a quick start if they were to have any chance of overhauling Sussex’s total. Fortunately, Northeast and former-skipper Rob Key provided that platform, making 109 for the first wicket, with Key hitting eight boundaries in a quick fire 52 from 43 balls before he was removed by left-arm seamer Chris Liddle. An injury to Brendan Nash meant Alex Blake came in at no.3 for Kent, and he scored 14 before Liddle claimed his second wicket.

That brought Stevens to the crease, who alongside Sam Northeast added 159 for the third wicket to somehow keep Kent up with the required rate. The pair made full use of the short boundary on the Old Dover Road side of the ground, although Stevens also clubbed sixes to the longer mid-wicket boundary, as he milked Will Beer for 17 off an over and then sent Rory Hamilton-Brown for 20 off the next.

With Kent seemingly in control they lost Stevens and Ben Harmison in quick succession, before Northeast and Jones put the Spitfires in command. The hosts required less than a run a ball to achieve victory. However, after Will Beer removed Northeast, two balls later the pressure mounted up as Calum Haggett was expertly caught at cover by Nash.

The crowd were briefly silenced, but Mitchell Claydon, on his YB40 debut for Kent, smashed his first ball for six, leaving Kent with eight runs needed from thirteen deliveries. Jones then glided a four down to third man and although Claydon was run-out with the scores level, Kent held their nerve to safely secure a remarkable victory.

For scorecard, see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/o35181