Joe Denly’s professional cricket career concluded on a high note as Kent secured a thrilling two-wicket victory over Somerset with eight balls to spare at the St. Lawrence Ground. The match, part of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, drew a crowd of over 3,000 spectators after the club announced the fixture would be Denly’s final appearance.
Somerset set a challenging target of 313 for 9, anchored by 87 from Lewis Goldsworthy, 75 from Savin Perera, and 60 from Joshua Thomas. Kent’s bowling attack saw Matt Milnes claim 3 for 53, while Denly contributed 2 for 42 from his six overs. Despite losing Archie Vaughan early, Somerset built steady partnerships, though Kent managed to restrict the visitors throughout the latter half of the innings. In his final over, Denly dismissed Church for a golden duck, while James Theedom struck a four off the final ball.
Kent’s chase began with Ben Dawkins scoring 30 before falling to Goldsworthy. Daniel Bell-Drummond provided a solid foundation with a century, though he was dismissed shortly after reaching the milestone. The innings suffered a setback when Sam Northeast was controversially given out stumped for 18, despite replays suggesting he remained in his crease. Denly, who received a guard of honour from the Somerset players upon his arrival, contributed 20 runs before lofting a catch to Goldsworthy off Theedom, departing the field to a standing ovation.
With Kent in trouble at 230 for 6, Ekansh Singh provided a spark with a rapid 40 off 20 balls. Following his dismissal, Grant Stewart anchored the tail, scoring an unbeaten 35. Despite the late dismissal of Keith Dudgeon, Stewart steered the team to victory by hitting consecutive fours off Josh Shaw in the final overs, ultimately securing the win with two runs.
