Kent cruise to victory

Last updated: 11th May 2008

Kent cruise to victory

Van Jaarsveld: Starring role

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Friends Provident Trophy - South/East Division

Canterbury

Sussex 218-9 Innings Complete (M H Yardy 54) v Kent 219-1 (M van

Jaarsveld 109 no, J L Denly 83 no)

Kent beat Sussex by 9 wkts

Martin van Jaarsveld's second century in the Friends Provident Trophy helped Kent ease to a nine-wicket victory over Sussex with 47 balls to spare at Canterbury.

Sussex were missing leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed and it showed as van Jaarsveld (109 not out) and Joe Denly (83no) took the Spitfires home.

After deciding to bat first, the Sharks began briskly, scoring at nearly six an over, but slowed down after the loss of the first wicket as Chris Nash stepped out to drive Yasir Arafat and was bowled for 19.

Simon Cook, having replaced Arafat, trapped Chris Adams lbw for 21, but Michael Yardy continued to pick up runs fluently.

Yardy reached his second successive half-century against Kent in the competition this season when he pulled Joseph for his fifth boundary, having faced 71 balls.

James Tredwell, brought on for the 28th over, struck straight away when he had Yardy (54) stumped in his first over, and the Sharks were 118-3.

Carl Hopkinson and Rory Hamilton-Brown put on a stand of 74 in 13 overs, with the former's 48 coming from 60 balls.

After Andrew Hodd (three) was run out in the 42nd over, Cook claimed his second wicket, bowling Hamilton-Brown for 35 from 41 balls.

With the Sharks reaching 218 for nine in 50 overs, their last six wickets to fall had added only 24 runs.

Denly and Matt Walker gave Kent an aggressive start, with Denly pulling Ragheb Aga to the boundary in the first over and then taking another four and a six, over mid-wicket, in the bowler's next over.

Aga was replaced by Robin Martin-Jenkins for the next over, and he was quick to strike, removing Walker (22), but a six from van Jaarsveld off the next ball set the tone for a victory stroll.