Bandara spins Leicestershire to defeat

Kent 150 for 2 beat Leicestershire 148 by eight wickets
Scorecard

Kent recorded their third win of the Clydesdale Bank 40 campaign in emphatic style with an eight-wicket drubbing of Leicestershire with more than 13 overs in hand.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, Leicestershire made a stunning start to reach 41 without loss after four overs, only to be dismissed for 148 in 30.1 overs. Opener and top-scorer James Benning (37) and Jacques du Toit ensured the Foxes did well against Kent's makeshift new-ball pairing of Darren Stevens and Amjad Khan.

Matt Coles, back in the side in place of Azhar Mahmood, accounted for du Toit (13) lbw but it was the introduction of spin at both ends that turned the game in Kent's favour. Sri Lankan leg-spinner Malinga Bandara did the early damage with 5 for 35 - his best figures since joining the county - two of them to sharp stumpings by wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.

Off-spinner James Tredwell turned one through the gate to bowl Danny Masters as he played back, then occasional off-spinner Martin van Jaarsveld chipped in with 3 for 23.

Having been set a modest target at a rate of 3.8 an over, Kent had 50 up on the board through openers Rob Key (26) and Joe Denly (39) in nine overs before Key clipped a return catch to Denning. Having hit five boundaries in his 51-ball stay, Denly followed seven overs later when he was bowled by James Taylor, but it was to prove Kent's last slip up in an otherwise ruthless display.

Vice-captain Martin van Jaarsveld, with an unbeaten 56 scored at a run-a-minute, and Geraint Jones - with a cameo 25 from 24 balls - duly eased Kent home to victory to inflict a fifth defeat of the campaign of Leicestershire.