Rain denies Kent revenge shot

Rain prevented Kent from exacting revenge over the Unicorns in their Clydesdale Bank 40 match at Southend.

The Unicorns claimed their only win of an otherwise fruitless campaign so far against the Spitfires by four wickets last month. It was a defeat to frustrate Kent's early semi-final ambitions and a share of the points on Tuesday will have hardly helped either after they had restricted the Unicorns to 177 for 8.

With an achievable target in sight, however, only three overs of Kent's reply was possible before the weather closed in.

The Unicorns had started fairly brightly with a half-century from opener James Ord in a 72-run second-wicket partnership with leading runscorer Tom New. The pair progressed the score to a handy 88 for 1 in the 20th over before the Ord perished soon after reaching his first Unicorns fifty when bowled by Darren Stevens.

England spinner James Tredwell trapped New (31) lbw three overs later before a collapse of 4 for 18, that included two run outs, left the Unicorns scrambling to put a competitive total together. That was at least managed by 21-year-old allrounder Luis Reece, who hit an unbeaten 36 from 35 balls.

But with Kent in need of full points they were only able to reach 9 for 0, after three overs, before the rain came. The point was at least enough to move Kent up to third in Group C, having played a game less than leaders Warwickshire, who they trail by three points.