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Headley hits heights with bat and ball

Kent (221-9) bt Warwickshire (219-8) by 1 wkt

Dean Headley showed yesterday that Alex Tudor was not the only England bowler capable of wielding the bat to good effect.

With three balls left, three runs to get and one wicket standing, Headley hit Graeme Welch straight back over his head for four as Kent recorded only their third National League victory of the season.

In truth, victory should have been far simpler. At 193 for five after 38 overs Kent were in control, with England all-rounder Mark Ealham going great guns. But then Kent captain Matthew Fleming was bowled by the admirable Tim Munton for eight and then Ealham, after a quick-fire 32 off 28 balls including two sixes, was lbw to the same bowler. Munton finished with figures of nine overs, four maidens, two for 14.

Warwickshire, handicapped by the absence of Allan Donald with an ankle injury and Neil Smith with a rib muscle strain, paid the price for some sloppy fielding and poor top-order batting.

After Fleming had won the toss and chosen to field they collapsed to 42 for four in the 13th over.

Headley responded to his omission from the Test side by claiming all four wickets. Coming on in the ninth over, Nick Knight, on 16, edged straight to Nigel Llong at slip.

Then, in his next over, David Hemp shouldered arms to a ball that knocked out his off-stump. Two overs later Penney, going back, played on for one.

This gave Headley his 100th wicket in the shortened form of the game and next ball wicketkeeper Keith Piper became Headley's 101st dismissal, also playing on to a full-length delivery.

Headley now had four for seven in 17 balls and should have had a fifth when Welch, on five, saw Trevor Ward drop a routine chance at cover. It was an expensive miss, Welch making 71 in a fifth-wicket stand of 157 with Anurag Singh.

Former Cambridge captain Singh made a stylish 76, bringing up his fifty with a huge swept six off Min Patel.

The Kent reply got off to a terrible start when Ed Smith was run out for one. Trevor Ward and Will House contributed contrasting thirties, House's runs coming briskly while Ward faced 85 balls for his 38.

Symonds hit 35 before going for one shot too many and there was more drama to come. To the first ball of the final over Steve Marsh went for a crazy second run and was run out after Hemp's superb stop. But Headley held his nerve.