Kent beat Cumberland by nine wickets in the third round of the C&G Trophy at Barrow-in-Furness.

The start of play was delayed for 15 minutes due to heavy morning rain. Kent acting captain Mark Ealham, deputising for the injured Matthew Fleming, won the toss and put Cumberland into bat.

It proved a prudent decision because the Kent opening pace bowlers Martin Saggers and Ben Trott got appreciable movement with the new ball in the heavy cloud conditions.

Trott, recruited from Devon and playing in his first season with Kent, got a vital breakthrough in the second over when he had Steven Knox lbw for one. This left Cumberland reeling at 1-1.

The Cumberland batting was somewhat brittle as epitomised by their losing three wickets on 26 including Andy Williams who had made 19.

Apart from the seventh-wicket partnership of 28 between Cumberland captain Martin Lewis and Jonathan Fielding there was little achievement from the Cumbrians. They lost their last four wickets for only eight runs.

Trott returned the superb figures for 5-18 from his ten overs, while Saggers supported him with 3-14.

The Kent openers David Fulton and James Hockley laid the foundation for Kent's easy victory by putting on 43 for the first wicket before Fulton was caught behind by David Pennett off Marcus Sharp for ten.

Hockley and Robert Key saw Kent through to victory ater only 10.2 overs. The aggressive Hockley hit 10 fours and a six in his unbeaten 48, while Key was 12 not out at the finish.

The man-of-the-match award was awarded to Trott who recorded his best bowling figures of the season.

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