Witness Kent’s extraordinary recovery at Lord’s, their quality as a cricket team in all formats of the game against Middlesex. Here’s how the contest developed, with impactful performances delivering the win. Ryan Higgins made it back-to-back half-centuries – his second in three days – and skipper Zak Crawley rode his luck early before powering a superb innings. Kent’s battle to this point yielded a decisive win, as Kent made essential moments, big and small, count across the game.
Kent’s batting order was immediately put under pressure but showed immense fight. Ryan Higgins was the star with the bat, making an impressive 54 off just 45 deliveries. He was eventually claimed by a superb delivery from George Garrett that removed the bails from the top of middle stump. Higgins carefully picked his spot and placed an beautifully placed effort that streaked through the vacant second slip region for four. This performance really showed his outstanding ability to identify holes on the field. This latest display continued the momentum Higgins had been building into a superb run of form as the key man for Kent.
Zak Crawley was key to Kent’s success. The captain made a remarkable achievement by scoring his 19 first-class century off just 168 balls. He cut the ball over the head of the slip fielder for a magnificent four runs. This shot really set the tone for his sheer dominance at the crease today. Crawley rode his luck when he was dropped off second slip off the bowling of Dane Paterson. As of that point in time, he had just three runs. Crawley didn’t allow the early reprieve to take him off his game. He carried that momentum over and scored 68 runs, his third half-century of the season.
The highly competitive match was filled with standout performances from both teams. Jack Leaning’s innings came to a sudden halt when he skied a pull shot. The ball went high to mid-on where he was caught and dismissed. It was Jack Davies who truly electrified the crowd, pulling Evison for the game’s first six. He wasn’t finished there, backing that up by hitting consecutive fours off Matt Parkinson. Tawanda Muyeye fell soon after the break, succumbing lbw in prodding fashion to Higgins.
Kent was dealt a rapid blow when Higgins and Ben Geddes were dismissed in three balls of each other. This abrupt reversal shook the supervisory team’s brand new confidence. It was underscored by Joey Evison’s exceptional range and glove work. He completed a wonderful diving catch in the developers, eliminating Geddes and adding to the pressure on Kent’s batting order. Kent’s resolve never wavered as they continued to hold firm after losing important wickets.
The longer the game went on, the more uncomfortable Middlesex’s advantage grew. The team fell apart under the pressure, losing their last six batsmen for a mere 61 runs. Consequently, they bowled their opponents out for an average of just 238 runs. This collapse particularly highlighted Kent’s excellent bowling attack and aggressive field placements which forced Middlesex to live on the edge all day long.
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