Kent stun Hants as Lees ties record in T20 Blast

June 28, 2026 No Comments

Kent stun Hants as Lees ties record in T20 BlastImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Kent’s Sam Billings hit the winning runs against Hampshire to bring up a 50 off just 21 ballsPublished14 minutes agoByAndrew RaeburnBBC Sport EnglandSuperb half-centuries from Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sam Billings inspired Kent to victory over South Group leaders Hampshire in the T20 Blast.Chasing a seventh straight win, Hampshire made 176-6 with James Vince scoring 84, but Kent’s power hitting saw them home by seven wickets, with eight balls to spare.Alex Lees equalled the record for the highest-ever T20 score by a Durham batter, hammering 108 from 64 balls as they thrashed Middlesex by 100 runs.Yorkshire scored 36 off the final two overs to tie a remarkable match against Derbyshire, allowing Nottinghamshire to move top of the North Group with a 74-run victory over Leicestershire.Defending champions Somerset were well beaten by Worcestershire, losing by 36 runs.T20 Blast fixtures & results

T20 Blast tables

North Group: Yorkshire tie puts Notts top

Yorkshire's Matthew Revis in all blue is consoled by Dan Moriarty after narrowly failing to score the winning runs off the last ball at Derbyshire — Image caption,

Yorkshire’s Matthew Revis (right) is consoled by Dan Moriarty after narrowly failing to score the winning runs off the last ball at Derbyshire

There were 430 runs at Chesterfield as Yorkshire staged a stunning late comeback to almost snatch an improbable victory over Derbyshire.

The home side racked up 215-9, their seventh highest T20 total, with Wayne Madsen (62) sharing in stands of 69 with Martin Andersson (51) and 44 with Ross Whiteley (36).

The last two overs cost just eight runs, a stark contrast to what was to come at the end of Yorkshire’s innings.

The visitors lost openers Jonny Bairstow (0) and Adam Lyth (5) cheaply, found themselves 95-5 in the 12th over, and were 179-8, still 37 runs short, with two overs to go.

But Matthew Revis went into overdrive, hitting Ben Aitchison for two sixes before doing the same to Akif Javed, and then scrambling a single to mid-off from the final ball to tie the game, the first such result of the competition this season.

That result allowed Nottinghamshire to move to the top of the table, as they beat Leicestershire by 74 runs at Grace Road.

George Munsey scored a third successive T20 Blast half-century, following up his 53 against Derbyshire earlier this month and Friday’s 82 not out against Kent with an unbeaten 75 in this one.

George Linde hit 55 from just 22 balls before he was run out off the penultimate delivery of Nottinghamshire’s 209-4.

In reply, Leicestershire lost wickets with regularity, with only Rehan Ahmed (45 off 23 balls) and Ben Mike (39 off 24) offering much resistance.

Central & West Group: Somerset hit by Rapids

Worcestershire Rapids players in patterned kit of various shades of blues celebrate a wicket — Image caption,

Usama Mir took three wickets as Worcestershire beat Somerset

Defending champions Somerset have some work to do to qualify for the knockout phase automatically after a 36-run defeat by Worcestershire.

Partnerships of 58 and 36 in the second half of their innings helped Worcestershire from 86-4 after 11 overs to a more imposing total of 180-5.

Somerset’s talented batting roster failed to spark, with Matthew Waite (3-23) and Usama Mir (3-34) impressing with the ball.

Only opener Tom Banton (30) and James Rew (36) in the middle order got started, and 26 from Craig Overton could not get the visitors close enough.

South Group: Hants downed by Kent

Batters Sam Billings and Harry Finch in all blue Kent kits touch gloves — Image caption,

Sam Billings (left) made 50 and Harry Finch scored 46 in Kent’s win over Hampshire

Impressive top-order batting from Kent ended South Group leaders Hampshire’s run of six successive T20 victories at Canterbury.

Hampshire captain Vince made his highest T20 score in almost a year, hitting 12 fours and two sixes in a knock of 84, before he was bowled by Grant Stewart in the 13th over, with the visitors on 119-2.

Stewart then chipped away at the middle order to finish with 4-32 as Hampshire ended on 176-6.

In reply, Harry Finch and Bell-Drummond put on 95 in the first 11 overs before the latter fell for 54.

Zak Crawley made just four, and Finch fell for 45, but a speedy 50 from Kent captain Billings, which included five fours and three sixes, clinched the game.

Lees goes big as Durham go third

In the cross-pool match between the sides at the bottom of the North and South Groups, skipper Lees’ piece of club history ensured a massive victory for Durham over Middlesex at Richmond.

The former England opener hit 11 fours and four sixes to move himself level with Paul Collingwood’s unbeaten 108 against Worcestershire in July 2017.

He then fell to the penultimate ball of Durham’s innings as the visitors racked up 218-6, their sixth-highest T20 score.

Middlesex, who have only won once in the Blast this season, were never in the hunt. They lost two wickets in an over three times, with captain Leus du Plooy top scoring with 34.

Ben Raine (3-17), Matthew Potts (3-18) and Kasey Aldridge (3-38) all chipped in with the ball, but it was Lees’ day as Durham moved up to third in the North group.

Wednesday’s fixtures

North Group

Derby: Derbyshire v Lancashire (18:30)

South Group

Chelmsford: Essex v Surrey (19:00)

Central & West Group

Bristol: Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire (19:00)

Inter-group fixture

Chelmsford: Warwickshire v Sussex (19:00)

Kent stun Hants as Lees ties record in T20 Blast

North Group: Yorkshire tie puts Notts top

Central & West Group: Somerset hit by Rapids

South Group: Hants downed by Kent

Lees goes big as Durham go third

Wednesday’s fixtures

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North Group: Yorkshire tie puts Notts top

Central & West Group: Somerset hit by Rapids

South Group: Hants downed by Kent

Lees goes big as Durham go third

Wednesday’s fixtures

Related topics

More on this story

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