August 11, 2024

Jack Leaning 81* Guides Kent to a Thrilling Win Over Derbyshire

Brooke Guest 85 in vain as Leaning, Grant Stewart halt Kent slide

Kent 207 for 7 (Leaning 81*, Stewart 48, Patel 3-30) beat Derbyshire 206 (Guest 85, Parkinson 3-23) by three wickets

Jack Leaning’s unbeaten 81 from 117 balls guided Kent to a thrilling three-wicket victory over Derbyshire in the Derby Metro Bank One-Day Cup game.

Kent appeared to be on the verge of defeat at 106 for 6 in their chase of 207, with Samit Patel’s impressive 3 for 30 causing major trouble. However, a vital partnership between Leaning and Grant Stewart, who scored 48 from 39 balls, breathed new life into their innings.

Leaning and Matt Parkinson combined for 33 runs off 43 balls, guiding Kent to victory with 28 balls to spare, finishing at 207 for 7. For Derbyshire, Brooke Guest scored a solid 85 off 117 balls, and his eighth-wicket stand of 75 with Harry Moore, who contributed a career-best 40, helped them reach 206. Parkinson was effective with the ball as well, taking 3 for 23. Kent’s bowlers performed admirably on a used pitch, with George Garrett’s late movement resulting in Harry Came being caught behind.

Derbyshire’s innings saw several soft dismissals, beginning with Luis Reece being run out by a direct hit from cover in the seventh. David Lloyd fell to a low return catch off Grant Stewart’s bowling, but it was Matt Parkinson’s spell that truly put Derbyshire on the back foot.

Although Guest and Anuj Dal scored quick singles and twos, Parkinson’s strategic bowling made the difference. He lured Dal into a big drive that was caught at long-on. Patel’s lone six of the innings came when he pulled Jas Singh, but he was dismissed by a slower ball from Parkinson in the 25th over, driving it to cover.

Derbyshire’s situation worsened when Yousaf Bin Naeem was trapped lbw while attempting a half-forward shot, leaving them at 109 for 6. Throughout these struggles, Brooke Guest’s resilient 77-ball 50 remained the cornerstone of their innings.

Moore and Leaning’s Heroics Propel Kent to Crucial Victory in Tense Derbyshire Clash

Garrett made a critical impact by bowling Zak Chappell with a late inswinger. Still, Harry Moore gave Brooke Guest the support he needed to add respectability to Derbyshire’s total. The pair methodically advanced the score without taking undue risks. Moore hit Jas Singh for three consecutive fours in the 44th over.

Guest’s impressive innings concluded when he pulled Charlie Stobo to mid-wicket. Moore was run out in the 47th over by a direct hit from cover while at the non-striker’s end. Despite their dismissals, they had set a defendable total for the bowlers.

Moore made an early breakthrough by dismissing Marcus O’Riordan, who was caught behind down the leg side. Although Moore saw Joey Evison drop at the first slip, Leaning capitalized by hitting four boundaries in the subsequent over. Derbyshire sought inspiration from Daryn Dupavillon, who took a spectacular one-handed diving catch at mid-on off Patel to remove Evison for 32.

Patel struck again in his next over, cramping Jaydn Denley for room on a pull shot that ended up in the hands of long-on, leaving Kent at 78 for 3. Sensing an opportunity, Derbyshire tightened their grip when Harry Finch played a loose drive off Pat Brown, and this time, David Lloyd made no mistake at slip.

With the pressure mounting, Kent’s innings unraveled as they lost two more wickets within four overs. Ekansh Singh clipped Zak Chappell to mid-wicket, while Charlie Stobo, attempting to work Patel through the leg side, got a leading edge caught at slip.

Amid the collapse, Leaning gave Kent a glimmer of hope, reaching a determined 50 off 79 balls. His partnership with Grant Stewart helped steer their side back into the contest.

Stewart looked to be steering Kent to victory, pulling Brown for two massive sixes. However, his momentum was halted when he lifted a shot off Chappell to fine leg. Moore pulled off a superb catch just inches from the boundary without stepping over the rope.

Despite this setback, Leaning kept Kent’s hopes alive by hitting Moore for three consecutive fours. Alongside Parkinson, he guided his team to a crucial victory that kept their slim chances of reaching the knockout stages alive while delivering a significant blow to Derbyshire’s qualifying hopes.