Michael Klinger hits century as Gloucestershire qualify for T20 Blast quarter-finals

Canterbury: Gloucestershire 180-3 v Kent 175-8 - Gloucestershire win by five runs

Scorecard

An unbeaten century by captain Michael Klinger inspired Gloucestershire to a five-run Vitality Blast win over Kent in Canterbury that guarantees the West Country county a place in the quarter finals whilst leaving Kent’s progression from the south group hanging in the balance.

The 35-year-old from Victoria plundered nine fours and four sixes in his 102 not out that helped the visitors – who have not lost a T20 game against Kent since July 2016 – post an impressive 180 for three under the lights at The Spitfire Ground.

Clearly wishing to chase a target, Kent fielded first after winning the toss and sprang an immediate surprise by opening the bowling with occasional off-spinner Alex Blake. The ploy worked wonders as Gloucestershire garnered only two off the over.

Fred Klaassen’s first ball of the night was hooked over the ropes at long leg by Klinger, then Miles Hammond opened his boundary account with a pull to square leg as the Kentish left-armer continued to struggle.

With the powerplay complete, Blake returned for a second respectable over then, with 70 on the board, left-arm spinner Imran Qayyum made the first breakthrough by having Hammond caught on the deep cover ropes off a wristy, slash drive.

Klinger moved to his 34th short-form 50 from 35 balls with six fours and a six – it was his third in the competition against Spitfires – before Blake had James Bracey held at deep mid-wicket to complete an excellent stint of 4-0-17-1 without conceding a boundary.

Qayyum’s quick reactions accounted for Ian Cockbain, run out when backing up to Klinger’s straight drive as the bowler collected the ball, span around and whipped off the bails with Cockbain still out of his ground. Qayyum finished with one for 24.

Jack Taylor should have departed for eight only for Zak Crawley to down a simple chance at ‘cow corner’ off Daniel Bell-Drummond, whose next delivery was heaved for six by Klinger as 23 came off the over.

Taylor was handed another life on 17 when Blake downed a low chance running in from long-on, before Klinger drove the final delivery of the innings over long-off for a ninth four and a 65-ball century with four sixes. Claydon, one of Kent’s four front line bowlers, finished with nought for 45.

In pursuit of 181 at an asking rate of 9.05 an over, Kent lost openers Crawley and Bell-Drummond within 19 balls. Bell-Drummond drove on the up to cover against Andrew Tye then Chris Liddle had Zak Crawley caught off a skier at mid-wicket to make it 21 for two.

Faf du Plessis, the South Africa captain making his Kent debut, was dropped on 18 after Taylor’s howler on the square leg ropes with Tye the unlucky bowler as Spitfires mustered 51 at the end of the powerplay.    

With left-arm spin at both ends, du Plessis and third-wicket partner Sam Billings found it difficult to hit boundaries until Billings broke the shackles by heaving six over the lime tree against Graeme van Buuren.

Five balls later Billings lofted Tom Smith over extra for another maximum and, at the half-way stage Kent had matched Gloucestershire’s 81 after 10 overs, albeit for the loss of one more wicket.

Du Plessis was dropped again on 42 when Tye downed a low chance running in at long on as Kent posted their 100 in the 12th over with the asking rate at 9.75 an over.

Du Plessis reached a fortunate 35-ball 50 with his seventh four and Billings also enjoyed a let-off on 32 when Hammond parried an overhead chance for six off the luckless van Buuren.

Billings scored his first 50 of the competition from 37 balls, but five runs later he holed out in the deep off Ryan Higgins to bring the 122-run stand to an end.

Kent required 41 off the last five overs but Higgins and Tye sent down two tight overs to alter the equation to 32 from 18 balls when Heino Kuhn ran himself out chancing a second to Taylor at deep mid-wicket.

Blake marched in to smite 19 off eight balls before holing out to long off against Ryan Higgins and, when Du Plessis followed next ball in near identical fashion for 60, Kent’s victory hopes went with him. Higgins finished with respectable figures of three for 36 as Kent messed up their second home pursuit inside six days.

Courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network.