Coetzer and White secure crucial win

Kyle Coetzer's superb half-century allowed Northamptonshire to keep their semi-final hopes alive in the Yorkshire Bank 40 with a tense five-wicket win over Kent.

Steven Crook took 3 for 36 as the Spitfires were restricted to 188 for 7 from their 40 overs, with former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones top-scoring with 46 not out off 52 balls. Coetzer then struck 90 off 115 deliveries as the Steelbacks chased down their target with just two balls to spare, with Cameron White also contributing 65 from 82.

The result moves Northants above their opponents up to second in Group A with two games left for both of these sides.

Kent won the toss and chose to bat but they lost Rob Key to a three-ball duck in the second over when he needlessly smashed Crook to Matt Spriegel at deep square leg. West Indies international Brendan Nash plundered 34 before he missed his attempted pull off James Middlebrook and was stumped by Northants wicketkeeper David Murphy.

Darren Stevens then departed bizarrely as he edged Lee Daggett's delivery on to Murphy's right leg and the ball flew to Australia international White at point. Fabian Cowdrey was the next back in the pavilion for the Spitfires when he was bowled by Crook for 13.

Crook struck again when his delivery crashed into Sam Northeast's off stump to dismiss him for 44 before Adam Ball launched Spriegel to David Willey at midwicket. Kent captain James Tredwell then departed as Azharullah's slower ball clattered into his off stump before Jones survived the final five overs with Matt Coles.

Chasing 189, Northants lost Willey in the fourth over when he hammered Coles to Adam Riley at deep square leg before David Sales was trapped lbw by Mitchell Claydon for 7. This reduced the Steelbacks to 32 for 2 but Coetzer did his best to stabilise his side's innings by completing a half-century off 72 balls.

This came as part of a brilliant third-wicket stand of 142 alongside White that led the hosts towards victory with the latter also reaching 50 off 66 deliveries.

White eventually departed by slashing Coles to Key at backward point with Coetzer soon following when he was taken by Jones off the bowling of Stevens. Claydon then took out Crook's middle stump as the hosts wobbled late on but three leg byes in the final over off the same man sealed a vital win.