CANTERBURY – A brace of wickets from Sunil Narine helped Surrey to their fourth win in six matches as they beat Kent by five wickets off the last ball in the T20 Blast in England on Sunday.
Choosing to bat first at St Lawrence Ground, Kent posted 173 for five off their 20 overs, with off-spinner Narine picking up two for 28 from his four overs.
The 35-year-old, who has not featured for West Indies in any format since 2019, has taken 10 wickets from six matches in the Blast.
Jack Leaning top-scored with an unbeaten 34 from 22 balls at number six, punching three sixes in a 53-run, unbroken sixth wicket stand with South African George Linde who finished 22 not out off 11 balls, with two fours and a six.
Joe Denly (27) and Daniel Bell-Drummond (25) had earlier put on 42 for the second wicket while captain Sam Billings (30) and Jordan Cox (23) added another 40 for the fourth wicket, to revive the innings from 71 for three in the ninth over.
Off-spinner Will Jacks, 24, led the attack with three for 28.
Opener Laurie Evans then spearheaded Surrey’s reply with 52 off 36 balls before Jamie Smith struck a 29-ball unbeaten 49 to see the visitors over the line in a tense finish.
Needing nine off the last over, Smith struck a four off the penultimate delivery of the match to level the scores before scrambling a single.
All told, the 22-year-old Smith belted one four and four sixes, putting on 68 with Sean Abbot (21 not out) in an unbroken sixth wicket partnership.
Evans had earlier struck five fours and two sixes in a 76-run opening stand with Jacks (30) before five wickets tumbled for 30 runs.
Surrey lie second in the North Group on eight points, four behind unbeaten Somerset.
CMC
