It was with an air of anticipation, that the two teams both with 100% records, pitched up, at a typically bracing Brookland on Saturday.  With a bit of moisture in the pitch and cloudy skies everyone fancied a bowl.  Captain, Grace Gibbs went out for the toss, came back and Kent prepared to bat. 

A confident Essex side took the field full of positive intent. First over done,3 fours and 13 runs on the board and Kent were on the front foot.   The next 23 overs continued in the same vein with Katherine Long dominating and Emma Marsh holding the other end up with steely determination.  When Long was bowled out, by Haywood going for a big one, she had scored a fantastic 81 runs (with 13 fours) for an opening stand of 118.

Essex fought back taking 3 more quick wickets reducing Kent to 133-4.  Marsh’s was the 4th wicket down, scoring 21 runs and again performing her ‘anchor’ role to perfection. Kent now needed to consolidate and stem the flow of wickets. 
Grace Gibbs with Phillipa Skelton-Hook and then Olivia Barber had partnerships of 20 and 43 to snatch back the initiative and soon the re-energised Essex side began to wilt.

At the close of the innings Kent had amassed 196 runs, for the loss of 6 wickets, Gibbs contributing 46 runs including 7 fours and a huge 6 that cleared the boundary comfortably scattering both spectators and dogs alike!  The innings contained many positives; a record opening stand, heads down consolidation and ruthless dispatching of the bad ball. The final total of 196 is Kent’s best score so far this season. A top effort.

Kent then took to the field.  The opening pair of Grace Gibbs and Charlotte Pape bowled accurately and with good pace. The breakthrough came in the third over with the Essex Captain Griffith trapped LBW by Gibbs for 5.  2 balls later Martin is on her way back to the clubhouse, bowled. Next over and Pape joins the party, clean bowling Woohatch for 4.  After 4 overs Essex were 3 wickets down with 17 on the board.  The Essex girls dug in for the next 12 overs until Skelton-Hook broke a partnership of 31 runs, bowling the opener Melhuish for 24.  Kent were now looking sharp in the field.  A run-out by Emma Marsh saw Hayward depart for 17.  The Kent girls now had a real sense of urgency and a good positive attitude running through the whole team.  The standard of bowling did not dip at all with Emma Waters , Beth Marsh twice and Gibbs twice, striking to mop up the Essex tail.

Kent won by 124 runs. A very impressive all- round performance.

A full scoresheet is available here