One-Day Cup: Darren Stevens guides Kent to victory over Hampshire in semi-final

Darren Stevens should play his last one-day game for Kent in the final

Darren Stevens produced another fairytale display to steer Kent past Hampshire by three wickets and into the final of the One-Day Cup.

Chasing 311 at the Ageas Bowl, Kent were seven down needing 64 from 48 balls, but Stevens, 46, inspired his side with 84 not out from 65 balls.

Ollie Robinson led the pursuit with 95 and Harry Finch made 52, before Stevens struck 11 fours and three sixes.

Hampshire posted 310-9, with Nick Gubbins hitting 75 from 84 balls.

It looked good enough to keep Hampshire's hopes alive for a clean sweep of trophies when Kent's required rate touched eight an over with only three wickets in hand.

But veteran Stevens, who will be released by Kent at the end of the season, struck three consecutive boundaries off Scott Currie's bowling and lifted Jack Campbell for six.

Having reduced the target to 14 from 11 balls, he carved Currie wide of deep point for four and then blasted him over mid-wicket for six with a slog sweep, before the next ball was smashed past extra cover for the winning boundary.

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Stevens, who has spent 17 years with Kent, could now potentially end his career with a trophy if they can beat Lancashire in the final at Trent Bridge on 17 September.

Hampshire were hoping to add the One-Day Cup to their T20 Blast title and started their innings well, having won the toss, through Gubbins with Aneurin Donald and Felix Organ both making 54.

But no-one produced the definitive innings that could have pushed the home side out of sight.

Kent lost openers Joey Evison, for a third-ball duck, and Ben Compton for two, within six overs of the chase. But Robinson steadied them with his fourth score over 50 in the competition.

He miscued a pull off Campbell and was caught at mid-wicket, leaving Stevens to add a few more lines to one of cricket's most endearing stories.

Hampshire captain Nick Gubbins:

"Things didn't quite go our way. We posted what we thought was a good score on that wicket and they just got some momentum at the end.

"Credit has to go to Darren, he was destructive and it is great to see a guy like that still doing it. He took the game deep and took us off our lengths. Sometimes you have to doff your caps to the opposition.

"Naturally we are disappointed. I've just said to the lads up there that this is what every successful sports team feels like because if you are going to make knockout games then you are going to feel like this because you can't win them all."

Kent Spitfires coach Simon Cook:

"Darren Stevens was the difference between us and Hampshire, that's the easiest answer. It was an extraordinary innings from him.

"You can't buy experience. It is understanding the game and the match situation. They came out with a plan against him - going short to take out his bigger shots - but he worked out a way of getting through it.

"I don't think I have seen many better one day innings from him. He writes his own scripts and he continues to write his own scripts. We just don't know what he'll do in the final, it could be anything."

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