Derbyshire hopes are dealt a big blow by defeat to Kent
JACK Leaning’s measured unbeaten 81 from 117 balls guided Kent to a three-wicket victory to put a serious dent in Derbyshire’s hopes of progress in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup at Derby.
Kent were sliding to defeat at 106-6 chasing 207, with Samit Patel taking 3-30 but Leaning and Grant Stewart’s 48 from 39 balls revived them.
Leaning and Matt Parkinson then added 33 from 43 balls to see Kent over the line with 28 balls to spare.
In the end, Derbyshire’s batting had let them down after they were put in.
Brooke Guest made 85 from 117 balls, sharing an eighth wicket stand of 75 with Harry Moore, who made a career-best 40, but, well as Kent bowled, there were no other contributions of note with the bat for Derbyshire.
George Garrett found late movement to have Harry Came caught behind early in the innings but there were some soft dismissals, starting with Luis Reece being run out by a direct hit from cover in the seventh over.
David Lloyd drove back a low return catch to Stewart but it was Parkinson’s spell which put Derbyshire on the back foot.
Guest and Anuj Dal ran well, picking up quick singles and twos, but Parkinson tempted Dal into a big drive which landed in the hands of long on.
Patel pulled Jas Singh for the only six of the innings but Parkinson snared him in the 25th over with a slower ball which he drove to cover.
When Yousaf Bin Naeem was trapped lbw half forward, Derbyshire were 109-6 with Guest’s 77 ball 50 holding his side together.
Garrett returned to bowl Zak Chappell with a late inswinger but Moore provided Guest with the support he deserved to give the hosts respectability.
The pair kept the board ticking over without taking risks before Moore ramped and cut Jas Singh for three consecutive fours in the 44th over.
Guest’s excellent innings ended when he pulled Charlie Stobo to mid-wicket and Moore went in the 47th over, run out at the non-striker’s end by a direct hit from cover.
But they had given the bowlers something to defend and Moore struck when Marcus O’Riordan was caught behind down the leg side.
Moore saw Joey Evison dropped at first slip before Leaning dispatched him for four boundaries in his next over.
Derbyshire needed inspiration and Daryn Dupavillon provided it by taking a stunning one-handed diving catch at mid on off Patel to remove Evison for 32.
Patel struck again in his next over when Jaydn Denley was cramped for room trying to pull and holed out to long on, leaving Kent 78-3.
Derbyshire sensed there was an opening when Harry Finch played a loose drive at Pat Brown and this time Lloyd made no mistake at slip.
The pressure was now on Kent and two more wickets went down in four overs.
Ekansh Singh clipped Chappell to midwicket and Stobo got a leading edge to slip trying to work Patel through the leg side.
But Leaning reached 50 from 79 balls and with Stewart deciding attack was the best way, they steered their side back into the contest.
Stewart pulled Brown for two sixes and appeared to be winning the game until he lifted Chappell to fine leg, where Moore managed to take a superb catch, throwing his initial take into the air while he stepped over the boundary rope and returning inside to complete the catch.
But Leaning hit Moore for three fours and with Parkinson playing sensibly and the run rate not an issue, saw his team to a win that keeps their slender hopes of making the knockout stages alive and dents Derbyshire’s chances of qualifying.