Surrey ended Kent’s five-game unbeaten run and three-game winning streak in all competitions winning by a narrow margin of three wickets midway through the afternoon session of the final day at The County Ground, Beckenham.
Decisive moments including a Kent batting collapse in the afternoon session of day three – Losing three wickets in four balls – and that Surrey’s spin bowling attack took nine wickets to Kent’s two – no doubt had significant impacts on the overall result.
Surrey came into the final day at 44/1 requiring a further 151 to win whilst the hosts needed a good day in the field to take the remaining nine wickets and in the early stages night-watchman Dunn looked to play extravagant shots and get runs quickly. At the other end Burns was the more conservative and in the second over of the day brought up Surrey’s 50.
Kent, hoping for early successes to make the game intriguing, got their wish as their go-to man Darren Stevens made the breakthrough getting opener Burns for 37 – Burns playing the ball but it spun onto his stumps with him unable to react quick enough to divert the ball – Surrey were 60/2.
In came Sri Lankan Sangakkara who fell cheaply in the first innings and so he did again this time around as Coles trapped him LBW with a full length delivery – Sangakkara out for 8, Surrey 75/3 and Matt Coles with his 30th wicket of the season.
The start Kent wanted continued unabated in the following over as Stevens had Dunn caught as Rob Key advanced on Dunn’s aerial straight drive to take a simple catch. Dunn out for 13 and Surrey rocking on 75/4 – Still needing 120 to win and Kent only six wickets away from victory.
The visitors managed to stabilise their innings with Davies and Sibley provided sufficient resistance, bringing up their hundred with no further losses but Kent made further inroads soon after as Sibley edged Ivan Thomas to Stevens at first slip (17), Surrey 108/5.
Davies was now joined by Roy and as it turned out this partnership was critical in shaping the result although before the lunch break both batsman offered albeit difficult chances to the hosts; Roy flashing an edge through the slips at 121 whilst Davies edging Coles to Riley, who got a hand to it, at second slip – Both admittedly tough but in defending a relatively low score, perhaps chances you need to take – Surrey survived and went into lunch 141/5 – Needing 54 runs to win with Kent looking for five wickets themselves.
Kent made a quick breakthrough that they would have so much been striving for after the interval as Davies was caught by Coles off the bowling of Riley – Davies out for 35 and Surrey 162/6, still 33 runs shy of their target…
Despite the precarious nature of the game Roy played in a positive vein although he then lost partner Gary Wilson as he edged Coles to Sam Billings for only 5, Surrey 177/7 but this did not deter Roy who was intent on playing with confidence – playing a reverse sweep for two and the following ball a boundary which brought up his half century off only 41 deliveries.
In desperation to get the crucial wicket of Roy at this late stage Coles had a loud appeal for LBW which looked a little high and then frustration perhaps got the better of the opening bowler as he was penalised for a no-ball.
Surrey soon took the victory as Roy flashed a drive on the on-side for four taking the visitors past the winning post.
Of particular note during this match was Matt Coles taking his 30th wicket this season. He has already exceeded the number of wickets Kent’s overseas player Doug Bollinger took in the 2014 season.
Scores:
Kent 282 (Key 89, Northeast 73; Curran 3/64, Dunn 3/65)
Surrey 292 (Davies 45; Stevens 4/48, Coles 4/81)
Kent 204 (Denly 66; Ansari 4/58, Batty 3/40, Dunn 3/61)
Surrey 196/7 (Roy 60no, Stevens 3/29)
Surrey (21pts) beat Kent (5) by three wickets