Kent women defeat Northamptonshire Steelbacks on the very last ball for a six-wicket win in Vitality Blast League Two at The St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury.

The game was a low-scoring thriller where ball dominated bat on a dry, spin-friendly track. Ilenia Sims’ 35 was the highest score in the match, while the wickets were shared.

Northamptonshire’s innings began slowly with wickets tumbling in the powerplay, but Ilenia Sims’ 35 from 33 balls was vital in getting the Steelbacks to a total of 104.

In the chase, Kent initially looked to be calmly heading towards victory facing an under-par score, but the Steelbacks spinners proved very tough to score against in the middle overs. A late cameo from Elsa Barnfather and a four from Zeena Bilal on the final ball gave The Horses a thrilling victory.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, Steelbacks skipper Gemma Marriott was dismissed in the first over, caught at midwicket by Megan Belt from Amy Gordon’s bowling.

Gordon picked up Kent’s second wicket in the third over when she bowled Amelia Kemp for one.

Northamptonshire found themselves at 10 for 3 in the fifth over as Ava Clive was bowled round her legs by Hollie Young while attempting a sweep shot.

The final over of the powerplay was more profitable for the visitors, yielding 12 runs, but it was Kent who dominated the opening as the Steelbacks reached 23 for 3 after six overs.

The home side continued to apply pressure in the field and pick up wickets. Leg-spinner Izzy James bowled Mabel Reid with a beautiful delivery that drifted onto leg stump, turned and hit the top of middle.

Belt picked up the next wicket in the ninth over, taking a sharp catch off her own bowling to remove Alicia Presland.

May Drinkell was the main threat for the Steelbacks, having scored 15 from 12 balls, including two fours. In the tenth over she pierced a tight gap between the fielders at long-on and deep midwicket for her third boundary. However, she gave James the charge next ball, missed it and was stumped by Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones.

At the halfway stage, the Steelbacks were 43 for 6.

Kent continued to make use of the dry pitch by bowling spin from both ends while Chloe Hill and Ilenia Sims gradually accumulated and built a partnership.

There was a moment of concern for the home side as James required some treatment on her finger after attempting to take a rebound catch low to the ground, but she managed to get through the rest of her final over.

With both Northamptonshire batters settled, Sims decided to take the attack to the Horses in the final overs. She picked up four boundaries, including a splendid, lofted drive from Hollie Young and a reverse sweep in Belt’s final over. The pair reached their 50 partnership in the 18^th over before Hill was run out for 21 by Sydney Gorham, while attempting a two.

The visitors reached their 100 in the penultimate over before Kent mopped up the final three wickets in the last over, which was bowled by Gorham. Sims was caught at backward square by Belt for 35 from 33 balls, Liz Russell was clean bowled, and Anisha Patel was run out by Gordon.

Northamptonshire ended their innings on 104 all out from 19.4 overs.  

Kent began their chase cautiously, choosing to keep wickets in hand while the turning pitch proved tricky to score freely on.  

Kent reached 17 for 0 after four overs with no major alarms, then Coco Streets’ wicket fell. Possibly frustrated, having scored 9 runs from 18 balls, she attempted a pull shot and was caught by Presland.

Courtesy of a boundary each for Gordon and Blinkhorn-Jones, Kent reached 29 for 1 at the end of the powerplay, with the seemingly small run chase looking potentially tricky.

Blinkhorn-Jones was dismissed lbw for 9 in the ninth over from Sims’ bowling.

After ten overs, Kent were 46 for 2, still needing 59 runs from the last ten. A boundary hadn’t been scored since the sixth over.  

Northamptonshire continued to bowl spin at both ends with Patel and Sims getting significant turn and bounce as Kent struggled to score freely.

The buildup of pressure led to a key wicket as Gordon was out caught behind in the 13^th over. Sims’ delivery was initially wide but turned and cramped the batter for room.

Patel should have had Castle out in the next over as she came out of her crease but missed the ball as it turned away from her. Hill fumbled the ball behind the stumps, giving Castle the chance to make her ground.

After 14 overs, Kent were 60 for 3, still needing 45 from the last 6 overs.

The 15^th over released the pressure for the Horses as Elsa Barnfather hit the first six of the match into the lime tree on the midwicket boundary. Kelly Castle then pummelled a sweep shot for four as Kent took 13 runs from the over.

However, the following over from Phillips only yielded a single run, which put the pressure right back on the Kent batters.

The pressure took its toll on Castle as she was bowled in the 17^th over by Reid, looking to play a big shot. More significantly, only three runs came from the over, leaving Kent 27 to win from the last three.

Barnfather hit the first ball of the 18^th over for four with a deft flick to leg. However, she was then caught by Sims at point off a top-edge.

The Kent pair of Young and Genevieve Jeer were swinging hard in the penultimate over which, thanks to a four through third man from Young, went for ten.

Kent needed eight runs from the final over.

The first four balls went for singles, leaving Kent four to win from two. Jeer was then bowled by a yorker from Russell, attempting a big drive.

Bilal had the unenviable task of facing the final ball with four needed to win. She played a reverse hit that just beat the fielder at short third man and reached the boundary to give Kent the narrowest of wins on the last ball.

Kent won by four wickets to take them four points ahead of the visitors and move to third in the League Two table. 

Picture supplied by Kent Cricket.