Hamish half century helps Glos make it back-to-back Blast victories
3 June 2016
Gloucestershire made it back-to-back T20 Blast victories with a seven wicket win against Kent in near darkness at Beckenham.
Like in the match against Middlesex the previous night, they got over the line in the last over with a huge six – this time from Chris Dent over long on.
His maximum saw Glos chase down the 145 needed for victory with four balls to spare.
To watch a post-match interview with Hamish Marshall click below
But the match never should have got that close and wouldn’t have had the umpires seen common sense and taken the players off for bad light.
As the gloom worsened Hamish Marshall was struck on the head, Matt Coles was prevented from bowling and Glos– who had been cruising at 130-1 lost two quick wickets – which put the game back in the balance.
Up until then Marshall had put on a batting masterclass, using the pace of the ball and scoring all around the ground in an innings of 56 from just 42 balls.
He shared in an opening stand of 66 with Michael Klinger (27) and Ian Cockbain (27) as Gloucestershire cruised to their target playing intelligent, risk-free cricket.
Marshall had looked in scintillating touch mixing his trademark flicks on the leg side with a fluent cover drive off David Griffiths and a straight six off James Tredwell.
But from 130-1 in the 16th over Cockbain was caught down the legside by Sam Billings off Ivan Thomas and Marshall had his middle stump uprooted by Darren Stevens the following over.
New men Dent (11*) and Benny Howell (4*) found it hard to adjust to the light and the threat of Duckworth/Lewis made it difficult for them to attack and risk losing a wicket.
But Dent kept a cool head to send Stevens over his head and over the sightscreen for a third impressive win in a week across all formats.
Earlier Michael Klinger won the toss and put Kent in on a surface he admitted to being unsure about.
Like at Merchant Taylor’s School against Middlesex the night before it proved a difficult track to attack on and a succession of Kent batsmen lost their wickets attempting to force the pace.
Sam Northeast briefly looked like he could hold the innings together making 35 before being caught by Cockbain off Howell at long on in the 14th over.
In a good allround display by Gloucestershire Howell (2-25) and Andrew Tye (3-18) were the pick of the bowlers, the latter impressing with his changes of pace and clever variations.
Five of the Kent batsman made it into double figures but with none able to go one to a big score they were unable to pose a target that forced Gloucestershire into taking risks.
Gloucestershire are next in T20 action when they take on Glamorgan at the Brightside Ground on Friday June 10.
