Vitality Blast Men · T20
St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury · 2026-06-28
Kent won by 7 wickets (with 8 balls remaining)
Kent secured a commanding victory over Hampshire at the St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury, on 28 June 2026, in their Vitality Blast Men fixture, completing the chase with eight balls to spare and three wickets in hand. The result represented a thoroughly convincing home performance, with Kent’s bowlers and batters each contributing decisively across both halves of the contest.
Having won the toss and elected to field, Kent invited Hampshire to set the target, a decision that shaped the contest from the outset. Hampshire’s innings was built substantially upon the efforts of James Vince, whose 84 from 46 balls — including 12 fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 182.60 — provided the visitors with a platform of genuine substance. Joe Weatherley contributed a brisk 24 from 16 deliveries before his dismissal at 136 for three in the 14th over, while Toby Albert’s 16 and Tristan Stubbs’s 18 offered support in the middle and lower order respectively. Hampshire ultimately posted 176 for six from their 20 overs, a total that demanded a disciplined response from the hosts.
Kent’s reply was measured yet purposeful, and the bowling figures from the first innings underlined the hosts’ control throughout. Grant Stewart was the standout performer with the ball, returning figures of four for 32 from four overs, while Joe Denly chipped in with one for 23 from three. In the chase, Kent lost Daniel Bell-Drummond at 95 for one in the 11th over, and Zak Crawley followed shortly after, departing at 101 for two in the 13th. The third wicket fell with Harry Finch dismissed at 151 for three in the 17th over, leaving Kent requiring a further 26 runs from the remaining overs. The side reached their target of 177 for three, finishing at a run rate of 9.62 and crossing the line with eight balls remaining, demonstrating that the lower-order pressure never became acute.
The victory represents a significant result for Kent in the 2026 Vitality Blast campaign, with the margin of success — seven wickets and eight balls to spare — reflecting a performance of considerable authority at their Canterbury home. Grant Stewart’s four-wicket haul in particular will be noted as a match-defining contribution, restricting Hampshire to a total that ultimately proved insufficient. The batting unit’s ability to absorb the early loss of wickets and still complete the chase with comfort will provide further encouragement to the Kent camp as the competition progresses.
Full scorecard
Hampshire 1 INN
| Batter | Status | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toby Albert | c Crawley b Denly | 16 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 84.21 |
| James Vince | b Stewart | 84 | 46 | 12 | 2 | 182.60 |
| Joe Weatherley | b Stewart | 24 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 150.00 |
| Tristan Stubbs | run out (Bell-Drummond) | 18 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 105.88 |
| Hilton Cartwright | c Dudgeon b Stewart | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 42.85 |
| Ben Mayes | c Crawley b Stewart | 15 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 150.00 |
| James Fuller | not out | 10 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Liam Dawson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Scott Currie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Chris Wood | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Sonny Baker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | ER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keith Dudgeon | 3.00 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 6.66 |
| Matt Milnes | 4.00 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 9.75 |
| Fred Klaassen | 3.00 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 9.00 |
| Joe Denly | 3.00 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 7.66 |
| Jake Lintott | 3.00 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 11.00 |
| Grant Stewart | 4.00 | 0 | 32 | 4 | 8.00 |
Extras: (w 4, lb 2) · Total: 176 ( 20 ) overs
Starting lineups
Hampshire
- Harry Finch
- Daniel Bell-Drummond
- Zak Crawley
- Sam Billings
- Joe Denly
- Chris Benjamin
- Grant Stewart
- Jake Lintott
- Keith Dudgeon
- Matt Milnes
- Fred Klaassen
Kent
- Toby Albert
- James Vince
- Joe Weatherley
- Tristan Stubbs
- Hilton Cartwright
- Ben Mayes
- James Fuller
- Liam Dawson
- Scott Currie
- Chris Wood
- Sonny Baker
Fall of wickets
Hampshire 1 INN
- 89/1 at 8.6 ov · TE Albert (c Crawley b Denly 16)
- 119/2 at 12.2 ov · JM Vince (b Stewart 84)
- 136/3 at 14.2 ov · JJ Weatherley (b Stewart 24)
- 176/6 at 19.6 ov · T Stubbs (run out)
- 142/4 at 16.2 ov · HWR Cartwright (c Dudgeon b Stewart 3)
- 164/5 at 18.4 ov · BA Mayes (c Crawley b Stewart 15)
Kent 1 INN
- 151/3 at 16.4 ov · HZ Finch (b Wood 45)
- 95/1 at 10.5 ov · DJ Bell-Drummond (c Fuller b Dawson 54)
- 101/2 at 12.5 ov · Z Crawley (b Wood 4)
Match data via api-cricket. Scorecard, lineups, fall of wickets and player figures sourced live from the official feed at the time of publication.