Kent secured a five-wicket victory over the Northamptonshire Steelbacks in their Metro Bank One Day Cup fixture at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury. The win came with two overs to spare in front of a crowd of more than 2,000, after the visitors were dismissed for 253.
Northants set a challenging total
Northamptonshire reached 253 all out after 50 overs. Three of their batters passed fifty: Nathan McSweeney (58), Ricardo Vasconcelos (55) and George Bartlett (54). A significant fourth-wicket partnership of 116 between Bartlett and McSweeney stabilised the innings after an earlier powerplay start.
Kent bowlers found breakthroughs through the middle overs. Ekansh Singh finished with figures of 3 for 50, taking three wickets in the space of five balls, while Grant Stewart claimed 3 for 33. Fielding also produced decisive moments, with a diving catch by Matt Milnes and other close chances influencing the course of the innings.
Kent’s chase and key performances
Opting to bowl after winning the toss, Kent were initially pegged back, but the chase was anchored by Harry Finch, who top-scored with 85. Chris Benjamin remained unbeaten on 55, seeing Kent home with two overs remaining.
- Target: 254 (Northamptonshire 253 all out)
- Kent finish: five wickets down, two overs to spare
- Top Kent batting: Harry Finch 85, Chris Benjamin 55* (not out)
- Top Northamptonshire bowlers: Luke Procter 3 for 44
- Top Kent bowlers: Ekansh Singh 3 for 50, Grant Stewart 3 for 33
Kent’s chase saw an early blow when Procter struck in the fourth over to bowl Ben Dawkins for five. Luke Procter then removed Sam Northeast, caught and bowled, as Northants briefly smelled an upset. Yuzi Chahal removed Daniel Bell-Drummond for 47, but Kent’s middle-order batsmen steadied the innings.
"It was 75 without loss when Grant Stewart broke through, getting Gus Miller caught by Jaydn Denly at square leg for 18,"
Ekansh Singh produced a pivotal spell in the closing stages of the Northants innings, taking consecutive wickets to break the partnership of Bartlett and McSweeney, and later bowling Lewis McManus. Singh’s double strike in the 41st over changed the momentum and helped restrict the visitors to a chaseable total.
| Player | Performance |
|---|---|
| Harry Finch (Kent) | 85 |
| Chris Benjamin (Kent) | 55* (not out) |
| Ekansh Singh (Kent) | 3-50 |
| Grant Stewart (Kent) | 3-33 |
| Luke Procter (Northants) | 3-44 |
The victory gives Kent a positive start in the One Day Cup and will be welcomed by supporters after the disappointment of the T20 Blast exit. The performance combined effective new-ball bowling, timely fielding and determined batting in the middle order to chase down a competitive total.
Fans should note that this match was played at the home ground in Canterbury and entry arrangements for other fixtures are listed through Kent’s membership and ticketing channels.
This report is compiled from the ECB Reporters Network account of the match and local match details supplied by the club.
