Symonds leads Kent to league title

Kent clinched the Norwich Union League title after battling back to beat Warwickshire by nine runs (D-L method) while leaders Leicestershire were self-destructing against Notts.

Warwickshire, chasing a revised target of 218 in 40 overs, fell ten short after collapsing in the face of a devastating spell of accurate medium pace from Andrew Symonds.

He took 5-18 in 6.1 overs as the home side, having advanced smoothly to 153-2, declined to 208-9 at the close.

As news of the Foxes' demise filtered through from Trent Bridge, Kent's travelling supporters started celebrating in earnest as their side closed in on their first trophy for six years.

Classy batting from James Hockley and Robert Key had laid the foundation for victory. In a contest trimmed to 40 overs a side by rain, Hockley reached the crease with his side on 17-1 and took the attack straight to the Bears.

He hurried to fifty from 56 balls, then found an equally forceful partner in Key. The fifth-wicket pair lashed 73 in ten overs before Hockley departed for a bruising 90, his highest score in the competition, from 102 balls with 12 fours and a six.

Key raced to fifty from 33 balls with six fours and a six before being bowled by Dougie Brown two balls later.

Mark Wagh (58 from 80 balls) and Ian Bell (48 from 60) resisted for Warwickshire but Symonds arrived to torpedo the middle and lower order and trigger those Spitfire celebrations