Hampshire centurion Rilee Rossouw stuck in lift the evening before the final - having had his teeth smashed in the semis!
Sunday 1 July 2018 08:26, UK
Sam Billings says he "did not agree at all" with Kent fans booing former captain Sam Northeast during the Royal London One-Day Cup final against Hampshire at Lord's.
Northeast, who switched counties over the winter, was jeered onto the pitch by Kent supporters before going on to score an unbeaten 75 in Hampshire's total of 330-7 in Saturday's clash in the capital.
Kent skipper Billings hit 75 and Daniel Bell-Drummond 86 but the Canterbury-based side were bowled out for 269 to lose by 61 runs as Hampshire landed the first domestic silverware of the campaign.
Asked whether he supported the reaction Northeast received, Billings said: "In a word, no, that's not really cricket, is it? I don't agree with that at all.
"Of course whenever a player leaves any club there's bitterness, but I don't think that's fair at all to be very blunt with that. It's as simple as that really.
"It certainly gave the game an edge, everyone felt that in the ground. There was something bubbling. It's a huge disappointment for us to lose, but full credit to Hampshire, they played very well on the day.
"I'm very proud of how we've gone about it in this tournament. We were bottom of the [South Group] this time last year. So things are looking up."
Hampshire's Rilee Rossouw top-scored with 125 from 114 balls as James Vince's men racked up the highest score in a Lord's final - the South African's form in stark contrast to his luck off it.
The Kolpak player got stuck in a lift the night before the final, having had to undergo dental surgery after being hit in the mouth during Hampshire's win over Yorkshire in the semi-final at Southampton on June 18.
"I'll take all the bad luck in the world to win a final," joked Rossouw. "I'm very pleased with my performance, I wanted this very badly.
"I was stuck in the lift for 80 minutes in the hotel last night, on my own. I was on my way down to see my wife and my baby. So I wasn't happy.
"With my teeth, I dropped a catch in the semi-finals and it went straight through my hands, hit my front teeth, broke the front two right off and chipped a third.
"The front two are completely gone. I've got a good dentist, though, so the credit goes to him.
"It feels great to pay back the club for what they have invested in me, I'm very happy."
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