Amelie Munday and Alice Hill starred with bat and ball as Kent Women capitulated to a 66-run loss against Gloucestershire in the Vitality Blast League Two semi-final at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

Gloucestershire made a competitive 159 from their 20 overs, with Munday’s 71 the top score. Kent lost early wickets and never looked like making the runs as they struggled towards a total of 93 for 9, with Hill taking four for 22.

Gloucestershire batted aggressively, with boundaries and sharp running keeping their run rate consistently around eight per over. Munday’s blistering knock well-supported by 39 from Meg Ahearne and 22 from Prarthana Reddy. Sydney Gorham was the pick of the bowlers, taking three for 15.

The Kent reply started badly and never recovered. They lost five wickets in the powerplay and struggled to score against Gloucestershire’s disciplined attack. Zeena Bilal top-scored with 36 with Elsa Barnfather’s 10 the only other double-digit score.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, Gloucestershire looked to get quick runs on the board in the powerplay.

Gorham broke the opening partnership in the third over as Becca Halliday mis-timed a lofted on-drive and was caught by Kelly Castle for 6.

Gloucestershire then put their foot down, taking 14 from the fourth over and 12 from the fifth. Munday, was the main aggressor, hitting four boundaries in the powerplay on both sides of the wicket.

At the end of the powerplay, Gloucestershire were 53 for 1.

Kent looked to keep a lid on the run-rate in the next few overs, turning to their spinners, who found some turn on a dry pitch.

Following a tight over from skipper Megan Belt, Izzy James picked up the second scalp as Reddy danced down the wicket but missed the leg-spinning delivery and was stumped by Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones.

At the halfway stage, Gloucestershire were 77 for 2 with Munday looking well-set on 36 from 25.

Kent turned to seamer Genevieve Jeer in the twelfth over, who almost picked up Munday’s wicket. Munday got a top edge from a cut shot, which Zeena Bilal couldn’t hold on to at backward point.

Munday reached her 50 in the next over from 33 balls with a mistimed sweep that went to fine leg. Gloucestershire reached 100 in the same over.

Hollie Young was the most economical of the spinners, with her flighted off-breaks proving difficult to time as Munday began to look weary in the extreme heat.

Consecutive boundaries for Ahearne and then for Munday in the 14^th and 16^th overs built some momentum for Gloucestershire as they looked to pile on some quick runs.

Finally, Munday was dismissed in the 17^th over. She charged down the track, looking to loft Hollie Young’s delivery over cover, but was caught by Elsa Barnfather.

Caitlin Belcher had been promoted to try and pick up some quick boundaries. She hit two fours but was then bowled by Gorham for 12 in the 19^th over.

Gorham picked up her third wicket at the end of the over as Emily Geach mis-timed a lofted off-drive and was caught by Jeer.

The final over went for 10, with an excellent boundary stop from Bilal saving two runs as Gloucestershire ended their innings on 159 for 5 with Meg Ahearne on 39* from 29.

 Kent struggled at the start of their reply. After the first over yielded only two runs, Gordon was frustrated by three consecutive dot balls from Charlie Phillips before playing a big cut shot which was caught by Izzy Patel.

Blinkhorn-Jones followed soon after as she attempted an expansive drive against Belcher and played on to her stumps.

The fourth over was disastrous for Kent as they lost two wickets to Phillips’ off-spin. Streets was lbw for 8, attempting a sweep shot. Then on the last ball of the over, Kelly Castle hit a short, wide delivery straight to Alice Bird at point.

Kent were 16 for 4, still needing 144 runs from the remaining 16 overs.

Kent compounded their collapse with a run-out on the last ball of the powerplay. Having picked up five runs from the over, Barnfather played the ball straight to the fielder at backward point and called Jeer through, who was run out for 6, leaving Kent on 23 for 5.

Gloucestershire’s Liv Daniels bowled exceptionally economically, going at two runs per over as the required run rate climbed sharply.

Hill picked up the next wicket with her first ball as Young hit a lofted on-drive straight to Munday and was out caught for 5.

With the required run rate now at over 11 and only four wickets remaining, victory looked to be an impossibility for Kent.

Bilal hit Kent’s first boundary since the powerplay in the tenth over as the Horses reached 40 for 6 after ten overs.

The 11^th over initially gave Kent a glimmer of hope as a boundary each for Bilal and Barnfather gave Kent 14 runs from the first five balls. However, Barnfather then played a shot too many as she skied a drive and was caught for 10 by Reddy.

Bilal and James built a partnership over the next five overs, but James was eventually dismissed for 8, caught by Patel for Hill’s third wicket of the match.

Bilal was dismissed in the final over for 36, caught by Bird at cover from Hill’s bowling.

Kent finished on 93 for 9 with Gorham and Belt the not out batters. Gloucestershire claimed a deserved 66-run victory and progressed to the final. 

Picture supplied by Kent Cricket.