Horses gallop – Two more wins for Kent

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Kent Women, the Horses, continued their merry way through the Women’s Vitality T20 South East Group series with two more powerful performances. After seeing off Surrey in the first two contests of the season, they entertained Middlesex at Beckenham.

Scores

First match: Kent 150-3; Middlesex 130-7
Second match: Middlesex 131; Kent 135-3

In the first game Grace Gibbs (60) enjoyed her elevation to No 3 by hitting her maiden 50 in a fast moving stand of 106 with opener Sarah Bryce (63*). A total of 150 was useful but eminently beatable. Experienced openers Naomi Dattani (21) and Cordelia Griffith (60) made a positive start to the chase, but two Kent spinners, the tried-and-tested Megan Belt and the outstanding prospect Grace Scrivens, took a combined 4 for 29, to leave the visitors 20 short.

A very different Kent side paraded for the second match, Alice Davidson-Richards taking over the captaincy from Tash Farrant. Neither of their England stars, Tammy Beaumont or Fran Wilson appeared at Beckenham, but this allowed more promising youngsters to take part. Kirstie Gordon snaffled Dattani early on, but Griffith made merry again, hitting 37 off 26 balls. Then Belt’s off-spin accounted for her and Amara Carr; she and Gordon took a decisive 6-26 between them.

In response Bryce offered a second major contribution (59), this time accompanied by Phoebe Franklin who made, in her own words, a long overdue 50. It wasn’t an easy canter home. Tight bowling, especially by Sonali Patel (2-17) and Gayatri Gole (1-7), meant the winners had only two balls to spare at the close.

Kent now face Essex at Chelmsford on May 9.