Miles Hammond hit a blistering 80 as Gloucestershire thrashed the Kent Spitfires by nine wickets in the Vitality Blast at Canterbury.
Hammond hit five sixes and eight fours in a 41-ball innings, while his opening partner Cameron Bancroft made an unbeaten 39 as the visitors coasted home with 8.2 overs to spare, finishing on 127 for one.
Hammond and Bancroft cashed in after the visitors produced a stifling display in the field to skittle Kent for just 125: Matt Taylor took three for 30 and keeper James Bracey ran out three batters. Sam Billings was the top scorer with 36 and Daniel Bell-Drummond the next highest with just 19.
Buoyed after snatching a dramatic tie at Surrey on Friday night, Gloucestershire vindicated their decision to bowl by ripping through Kent’s top order.
For the fourth consecutive innings Zak Crawley failed to reach double figures, chipping David Payne to Hammond for seven.
Josh Shaw then got Joe Denly for 13 when he misjudged a ramp shot and was caught by Marchant de Lange at short fine-leg.
Graeme van Buuren bowled Marcus O’Riordan for 12 and a slower ball from de Lange accounted for Daniel Bell-Drummond, who pulled him to Cameron Bancroft for 19.
Billings and Tawanda Muyeye managed a partial rebuild until the latter was run out for 10 by Bracey, aiming at one stump after an abortive appeal for a catch.
Kent’s hopes of a competitive total plunged when Taylor struck twice in three balls at the start of the 15th. Billings skied his first delivery to David Payne and Grant Stewart then went for a second ball duck when he chipped Taylor straight to Hammond at mid-wicket.
The same combination removed Joey Evison for 10, caught at deep mid-wicket and a shambolic innings concluded with run outs off successive balls in the final over.
Nathan Gilchrist charged down the wicket after the fourth ball while Xavier Bartlett stood motionless at the other end and Matt Parkinson tried to scramble a single off the fifth only to meet an identical fate.
The Spitfires needed early wickets to stand any chance of defending such a low total and although Bartlett was unlucky not to find the edge, there was never any serious pressure. The fourth over went for 22 and Hammond smeared Bartlett for a six over cow corner to pass 50.
He finally fell when Gilchrist had him caught on the boundary by Stewart, leaving Bancroft to complete the win in style when he smeared O’Riordan for six.
Gloucestershire’s Miles Hammond said: “We bowled and batted really well at the Oval, but the fielding probably wasn’t quite there. Today we did all three brilliantly and came out with a great result.
“I think at the moment on the road and even at our place, just having look and seeing what the deck plays like, I think the ball seems to be doing a little bit more in the powerplay. It was a nice coin toss to win, it actually looked quite slow and might have dried out over the day.
“It’s been pleasing in the last few days (the fielding). Even today there were a couple of big overs, but we just came back straight away with a wicket or a really good over. That bouncebackability I really key in T20s and the bowling unit were fantastic.
“It was a nice day in the field, but I wouldn’t expect anything less. It was avery much a case of just having a look. Xavier (Bartlett) bowled pretty nicely in that first over and there was a bit going on, a little bit of width from Gilchrist. I think sometimes when we bowl so well and we restrict them they sort of have to go searching. Maybe they go a bit flat a bit quick so it was a more that maybe there ws a bit less intensity when they got going and we had a great powerplay, but it certainly wasn’t a case of going out there and chasing it quickly as you can really mess up when you do that.
(Did he know it was his 100th T20 match).
“No I didn’t (know it was his 100th T20 match). How time flies when you’re having fun! It’s been a tough few years actually in T20 for me, It’s been a while since I’ve hit the ball like that and it would be nice to keep that momentum going because I’m an important pat of this team going forwards.”
Kent’s Sam Billings said: “I’m embarrassed if I’m honest. It’s obviously not how we wanted today to go. The wicket was tricky if we’re honest and we were going to bowl first in those conditions but we just simply didn’t adapt with the bat. Even in T20 there’s an element of batsmanship, giving yourself a chance and getting used to the conditions. We’re not playing in the IPL on pitches made of glass so you have to be able to adapt.
“There is a lot of talent in the dressing room but yeah, you have to be better than that. There’s an element of application. I think if we’d got 165 you’re in the game but with the ball we were way off it as well. It’s just one of those days that happens in T20 cricket.
“It’s all on us today to be honest. Don’t get me wrong, they’ll be very happy with how they’ve performed but that’s just simply not good enough and it’s getting to that stage in the tournament where we’ve lost a couple of close games we should have won and then you’re seeing when you have an off day like that that with (only) two wins at the moment we need to get on a bit of a roll.
“I just don’t this we’re executing as well as we could. That’s a wicket that helped as well and for them to go at 11 an over, don’t get me wrong Miles Hammond played really nicely and struck the ball well but we’re making it a lot easier for other teams in terms of missing our length consistently. That’s not having a go that’s just being honest, an honest appraisal of where we’re at at the moment. Simply not good enough with bat and ball.”