365 Sporting Days

A night at the Young Vic watching Oklahoma means I’m writing this 2 days after the match, having just watched Essex lose to Hampshire at the Ages Bowl, so, honours even on that rivalry. (This is going to be lots of photos, not so many words) I’d travelled to Canterbury to watch an Essex win and was hoping for the win in the home fixture too.

Simon Harmer won the toss for Essex and put Kent in to bat. His bowlers had Kent on 17 for 4, then 46 for 5, of the 6 bowlers used only Aron Nijar didn’t take a wicket. Overseas bowler Daniel Sams took 2 for 22 and took 4 catches out on the boundary, a good evening for him. Sam Cook, who seems to be enjoying his T20 bowling took 2 for 14, Ben Allison took 2 for 28, Matt Critchley 2 for 20 and the captain, Harmer 1 for 19. That one was the Kent captain Sam Billings, Billings hit the ball back at Harmer really hard, there was a concern for Harmer’s hand as he took the catch.

Alex `Blake batting at 6 saved Kent’s blushes with 38 from 32 and Qais Ahmed the Afghanistan bowler hit an entertaining 24 from 14, those 2 innings were the highlight for Kent. They made just 130 in their 20 overs.

The Essex openers haven’t clicked this season in T20, tonight was no exception and in this Kent game Adam Rossington was out for 8 from 8, Will Biuttleman scored just 15 from his 20 balls. Michael Pepper is enjoying batting at the County Ground and he scored a very entertaining 50 from 29 balls. Matt Critchley and Paul Walter shared a partnership of 50 to get the game won. Critchley was not out 18 from 20 and Walter 33 from 16. Essex reached the required total in 15.3 overs. A good home win.

A good home win Essex lost now have 3 wins and 3 losses from the 7 games played (Gloucestershire was rained off), they lie 4th in the Southern table, ‘Local rivals” Surrey sit top of the table with 6 wind from 7 and 1 No Result. Essex’s openers really need to get a wiggle on, especially in the Powerplay. Feroze Khushi replaced Will Buttleman today but was out for 11 from 12 balls, Adam Rossington made 13 from 17. Essex are at home next up, Friday night and Middlesex visit they also have 3 wins from their 7 games. Here’s hoping for a home win, with the batters backing up the bowlers.