Kent Women comfortably beat Derbyshire Falcons by seven wickets at The OurCoop County Ground, Derby to keep their Finals Day hopes alive.
Having restricted Derbyshire to an under-par 124 with some tight bowling and fielding, the Horses comfortably chased the total in 14.4 overs, giving them a precious bonus point in their last game before Finals Day. Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones top-scored with 50 not out from 40 balls.
The Falcons batted very cautiously in their innings, despite having wickets in hand. The run-rate was below 6 for most of the innings, with Rebecca Duckworth’s 60 not out from 70 the biggest contribution.
Kent, knowing a comprehensive win could result in a precious bonus point, made light work of the chase. Amy Gordon blasted some quick runs in the powerplay before Blinkhorn-Jones made a cultured 50 to help Kent reach the target in the 15th over.
Having won the toss and elected to field, Kent applied good pressure in the powerplay, keeping the Derbyshire opening pair to 23 runs without loss from the first six overs, including a maiden from Gordon.
The breakthrough came from the first ball after the powerplay as Izzy James had Matilda Atherton-Gater lbw for 11.
Kent’s spinners kept the run rate down over the next few overs, although 12 runs from Izzy James’ second over gave the Falcons some momentum.
After ten overs, Derbyshire were 46 for 1 and needed to accelerate with wickets in hand.
The Falcons began to play more attacking shots, but they remained risk averse as the run rate gradually increased.
The bigger shots came out in the 16th over as Lauren Kenvyn struck consecutive fours from Megan Belt’s third over.
In the penultimate over, Rebecca Duckworth played a scoop to reach her 50, which came from 64 deliveries. She repeated the shot twice more as the Falcons took 14 from the over and the run rate finally went above 6 per over.
Hollie Young bowled a tight final over, not conceding a boundary. Kent also picked up Kenvyn’s wicket via a run out. She made 46 from 37 and provided some much-needed impetus to the Derbyshire innings.
Derbyshire ended their innings on 124 for 2.
The Kent reply got off to a brisk start as Gordon hit consecutive fours in each of the first two overs with Kent looking to be positive.
However, the positive approach did for Gordon as she chopped on from Malisha Tennakoon, looking to hit a big shot over mid-on.
Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones started brightly, hitting her first ball immaculately through the covers for four.
Kent lost their second wicket in the fifth over as Coco Streets was run out by Kenvyn, having been called through for a tight two by Blinkhorn-Jones.
Kent ended the powerplay on 46-2 with victory looking well within their reach. However, with the League Two Blast table very tight, they had to be mindful of net run-rate and bonus points to give themselves the best chance of progressing.
Blinkhorn-Jones continued to lead the charge, running hard and regularly finding the boundary, while the Derbyshire Falcons also gave away 25 in extras, which helped give Kent a commanding position.
After ten overs, Kent were 88 for 2, needing only 37 to win from the final ten overs.
Kelly Castle, who had been starved of the strike, picked up boundaries in consecutive overs as Kent reached their 100 in the 12th over.
Castle was out in the following over, lbw to Beth Slater for 15 from 17 balls.
Blinkhorn-Jones reached her 50 from 40 balls in the 15th over, before Elsa Barnfather hit a lofted four over cover to win the game in the next ball.