An exciting finish at Canterbury saw Kent Spitfires win a classic clash against Middlesex Panthers in the T20 on Friday night.

Rob Key’s side were to win by 16 runs in what turned out to be a great game of cricket.

Four wickets for David Griffiths proved to be the difference with three of them coming in the final over, including that of Dan Christian who smashed an incredible 129 off just 57 balls.

In the end though, it wasn’t enough for Middlesex who came up short with the Kent paying public going home happy after seeing four hundred runs scored in an entertaining game.

With skipper Rob Key having won the toss and elected to bat first, the Spitfires made just the one change from the side that lost at the Ageas Bowl on Thursday night with David Griffiths in the team ahead of Mitchell Claydon.

It proved to be an inspired choice, but it took some quality batting to Kent up to 208 for 4 in their 20 overs.

Once again, skipper Key was in imperious form as he and Daniel Bell-Drummond put on 33 runs for the opening wicket with the latter drilling Christian to Olly Rayner at mid off when on 10.

Having rattled up 57 runs in the powerplay, Kent looked well placed with Sam Northeast having joined his captain at the wicket, but Key was to fall shortly after, given out stumped by John Simpson off Ravi Patel, although it looked to be a harsh decision.

With Northeast and Darren Stevens happy to knock the ball around for a bit, it came as a shock to the Kent faithful when the all-rounder was run out for 17 attempting a second run, with former Kent batsman Joe Denly hitting the stumps from the deep.

Despite the departure of Stevens, Northeast was to carry on where he left off and soon passed fifty, ably supported by Sam Billings, although the vice-captain was to fall on 54 with Christian cleaning up his stumps.

With the game still well and truly in the balance, a fine unbeaten stand of 71 between Billings and Alex Blake lifted Kent up to 208 for 4.

Blake was in imperious form, smashing his way to 58 off just 31 balls, whilst Billings was to crack 31 off only 12 balls.

That proved to be the difference in the end as the Spitfires posted the daunting target.

It looked to be one way traffic when it came to Middlesex’s turn to bat with Paul Stirling out in the first over, chipping Bollinger to Blake on the square leg boundary, whilst Dawid Malan picked out Rob Key to give David Griffiths his first wicket of the night.

When Darren Stevens picked up the prized scalp of Eoin Morgan for just 10, chipping the Kent all-rounder down to Adam Riley at deep third man, it looked to be all over as a contest with Middlesex reduced to 28 for 3.

Joe Denly was to muster only 9 on his return to Canterbury before Bollinger rearranged his stumps and at the halfway stage of their innings, Middlesex were 84 for 4, needing another 125 runs.

The fall of another former Kent man, Neil Dexter, perishing for 6 as he lofted Adam Riley down to Sam Northeast at long off gave Kent the idea they were on their way to a win and when Simpson went the same way for 5, the Panthers were 110 for 6 and in deep trouble.

Cue Dan Christian and his lusty blows as he single handedly tried to get Middlesex over the line. Time and time again he muscled the ball to the boundary, either via the aerial route or by slamming it through the field.

He was to bring up his fifty off just 25 balls and his century off only 46 balls in the space of 44 amazing minutes.

In that time Canterbury had gone from a party atmosphere to thousands of people watching on in stunned disbelief.

Ultimately, it came down to the final two overs and with Bollinger having Toby Roland-Jones slam him straight up in the air for Sam Billings to pouch, Kent knew Middlesex would need 18 runs off the final six deliveries.

With Christian still at the crease, anything was possible and it took nerves of steel for Griffiths to ball the defining four balls of the game.

The first ball saw Christian sent on his way, bowled for 129 off just 57 balls in an innings that included 12 fours and 10 sixes.

A single from James Harris saw Olly Rayner onto strike and he was to be bowled for a golden duck and with the pressure well and truly on, Patel was to go the same way as Griffiths claimed his third wicket in the over and with it the match.

Never before had a huge sigh of relief and cheer gone around the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence before and this game will live long in the memory.

Kent have little time to enjoy the moment as they begin their County Championship game against Essex at Canterbury at midday on Saturday before returning to T20 action against Essex on Wednesday night.

 

 

Kent Spitfires won the toss and elected to bat

Kent Spitfires side: DJ Bell-Drummond, RWT Key, SA Northeast, DI Stevens, SW Billings, AJ Blake, AJ Ball, DA Griffiths, JC Tredwell, AEN Riley, DE Bollinger.

Middlesex Panthers side: DJ Malan, PR Stirling, EJG Morgan, JL Denly, DT Christian, NJ Dexter, JA Simpson, OP Rayner, TS Roland-Jones, JAR Harris, RH Patel.

Umpires: NJ Llong & NGB Cook

Kent Spitfires 208/4 (20 overs) Blake 58no, Northeast 54; Middlesex Panthers 192 all out (19.4 overs) Christian 129, Griffiths 4-22, Bollinger 3-40, Riley 2-23. Kent Spitfires won by 16 runs.