GLCS vs KT 79th Match, T20 Blast 2023

Chasing a decent score of 138, Tawanda Muyeye propelled the Spitfires to a flying start by collecting a boundary in the first ball of the innings. However, Gloucestershire was quick to strike back as some brilliant piece of work in the field by David Payne ran out Tawanda Muyeye 5(2). After the early departure of Muyeye, Joe Denly joined forces with Daniel Bell-Drummond, and the right-handed pair soaked up the pressure. 

The Gloucestershire pacers were successful in drying up the boundaries in the field restrictions, and just when both batters were looking to step on the gas, Tom Price broke the 33-run stand for the second wicket by dismissing Denly 11(14) with an outstanding catch off his own bowling. Skipper Sam Billings was the next batter in and he straightaway got into his element while Bell-Drummond was content to play the second fiddle and keep moving the scorecard. 

Billings and Bell-Drummond forged a 39-run partnership for the 3rd wicket before the former had to walk back for 28(18) owing to an unfortunate run out. Billings’ wicket did not put a dent in Kent’s confidence as Jordan Cox continued where his skipper left off and brought the equation under control rapidly. Cox 31*(20) and Bell-Drummond 56*(49) stitched a 61-run partnership for the 4th wicket and steered Kent to a comfortable victory.

Earlier in the day, after being invited to bat first, Gloucestershire were off to a disastrous start as Fred Klaassen clinched a wicket off the very first ball of the encounter. The left-arm pacer unearthed some extra bounce straightaway as the right-hander Grant Roelofsen 0(1) spooned one straight to the first slip. Ben Wells then paired up with his skipper Miles Hammond and the duo started to counterattack to loosen the shackles. 

Both the batters cut loose in the field restrictions and powered the home side to 51/1 after the end of the first 5 overs. The turning point in the contest arrived in the last over of the powerplay when the Aussie quick Kane Richardson provided two wickets in quick succession and brought the Spitfires back into the contest. The right-arm pacer broke the 51-run partnership for the second wicket by cleaning up Ben Wells 15(15) with an exceptional inswinger and that was followed with the wicket of Ben Charlesworth 0(2), who holed out in the deep. 

Gloucestershire never really picked up after losing two quick wickets as their innings spiraled out of control. The spinners bowled in tandem in the middle overs and they were able to stem the flow of runs. David Payne and Tom Smith rotated the strike well at the backend of the innings and added 23 runs for the 10th wicket out of nowhere which helped Gloucestershire to register a relatively competitive total.