An explosive innings from Jordan Cox snatched a Kent Spitfires victory from the jaws of defeat in their T20 Blast fixture against the Sussex Sharks at the 1st Central County Ground in Hove.
His unbeaten 82 runs from 44 balls led the visitors to their target of 170 and ensured that they remain in contention to qualify for T20 finals day.
Cox came to the crease with his side in dire straits, reduced to 28-3. The 22-year-old was not deterred however, taking two boundaries off a fired up Ari Karvleas in the second over he faced.
Combining nicely with middle-order batters Daniel Bell-Drummond and Jack Leaning, Cox kept the pressure on Sussex, regularly hitting boundaries. He reached fifty in the 15th over, nudging seam bowler Brad Currie for two before he launched a gigantic six over Cow Corner.
With 11 runs required off the final two overs, Cox finished proceedings in style, slogging two massive maximums over the leg-side boundary.
Cox’s onslaught came after an excellent opening spell from the Sharks attack. Greek international Ari Karvelas was particularly impressive.
From his first ball, Karvelas bowled Tawanda Muyeye with a beautiful delivery, which nipped in and demolished the openers off-stump. Two dots later, he had Joe Denly. The former England man was caught behind off another excellent ball, which moved away and took his outside edge.
Tymal Mills got in on the act soon after. In a tidy third over, he dismissed Sam Billings with a rising length delivery which the Spitfires captain could only feather through to wicket-keeper Oli Carter. Billings made just 2 as the visitors’ top order collapsed.
Mills was Sussex’s best bowler on the night, taking one wicket and conceding just 29 runs in his four overs.
A 67-run partnership between Cox and Bell-Drummond followed the collapse before the former top-edged Ravi Bopara to a grateful Brad Currie at square leg.
Despite his dismissal, Bell-Drummond’s dogged 38 runs provided a lifeline for the struggling Spitfires and included a plethora of pleasing shots.
Earlier, the Sharks made a decent start to their batting innings, finishing the power play on 49-1. Harrison Ward was the one man to fall, pulling a short-pitched Michael Hogan delivery to deep square leg. He departed for a quickfire 32 from 21 balls, which included some lusty blows off medium pacer Fred Klaassen.
His opening partner wasn’t so aggressive. Taking 21 balls to notch his 22 runs, Tom Clark picked out cover off the bowling of Grant Stewart.
Sussex didn’t lose momentum, however. Despite losing a couple of middle order wickets, Captain Bopara ensured that the Sharks reached a respectable 169-7 from their 20 overs. His steady 53 from 49 balls kept the clock ticking and was full of inventive stroke play.
In the 13th over Bopara reverse-ramped a full and fast Hogan delivery for four. He then plundered 16 runs from the 14th over, first slog-sweeping then cutting George Linde for twin boundaries. He reached fifty with a hearty flick down the ground before he was caught at deep square leg off the bowling of Michael Hogan soon after.
Hogan was the pick of the visiting bowlers. After claiming the opening wicket, he had the destructive George Garton caught and bowled for 13. Returning for the final over, he removed star man Bopara after bowling Michael Burgess with a searing yorker.
Pace bowler Wes Agar was also impressive, dismissing the in-form Oli Carter with a wide delivery that was caught at cover. The Australian was economical throughout, taking one wicket for 29 runs in his four overs.
While the Spitfires remain in contention for T20 finals day, the loss all but ensures that the Sharks cannot qualify.
After the game, Sharks fast bowler Tymal Mills said: “With four games to go we’ve been way off where we thought we would be and where we wanted to be.
“We are, for the most part a very young group and, as long as guys are learning and getting better, that’s all we can ask for. We’ve still got four games left and we want to win all four of those and keep momentum looking towards next year.
“It’s certainly been a good realisation for some of the guys who haven’t played as much coming into the year, just how far off they are.
“Traditionally, we’ve always had a very strong T20 side here but that was when the club prioritised T20 to the nth degree and we had a lot of players who only played T20 cricket”.
The Sussex Sharks’ next fixture is away to Gloucestershire on Thursday (22 June).
