Stevens keeps Kent's defence alive

Kent 175 for 6 (Stevens 69) beat Kent 133 (Arafat 3-29) by 42 runs
Scorecard

Defending champions Kent secured their place in Twenty20 Finals Day with a convincing 42-run victory against Warwickshire at Edgbaston. Darren Stevens was the star as he clubbed 69 off 32 to turnaround a stuttering innings then claimed two wickets.

Kent's innings was threatening to fall short of expectations as Warwickshire's seamers - especially Neil Carter and Chris Martin - restricted the scoring rate. When Justin Kemp was bowled by Ian Salisbury for 9, Kent were 98 for 5. Stevens, though, didn't panic and hit five sixes alongside six fours in his innings, adding 60 with Azhar Mahmood who took 25 off 13 balls.

Stevens took a particularly liking to Chris Woakes, who was hit for three sixes before being order out of the attack for bowling two beamers in his final over. Darren Maddy completed the 19th over, which in total cost 33 runs.

Chasing 176, Warwickshire lost Carter early and after reaching 40 for 1 suffered a terminal decline in the middle order. Maddy, who missed the qualifying section with a broken thumb, was run out for 27 off 18 balls. Mahmood was also miserly with the ball, conceding 16 runs from his four overs, while Yasir Arafat continued his good season with three wickets.

Kent join Middlesex and Essex in Finals Day and the fourth team will be known after the rearranged quarter-final between Durham and Nottinghamshire, following the expulsion of Yorkshire.