Glamorgan 145 for 6 (Labuschagne 50*) beat Kent 132 for 5 (Billings 33, Rogers 31*) for 13 runs
After the weather delayed the start, Glamorgan made 145 for 6 from their 13 overs, with Labuschagne scoring an unbeaten 50 from 26 balls, before claiming an economical 1 for 14 from his two overs.
Neither team stood a chance of advancing to the quarter-finals and torrential rain delayed kick-off until 8pm, with the game reduced to 13 overs per team.
The visitors were asked to bat and attacked from the start. Kiran Carlson bowled Tom Rogers for a blistering six and Will Smale hit a brisk 18 off eight before a clutch of wickets temporarily slowed the run rate. Smale edged Nathan Gilchrist to Tom Rogers midway through and Tom Bevan was out for 3 after Carlson was hit by Rogers: he had almost reached the striker’s end before realizing his partner had doubled over in pain, allowing to the bowler to run him out. out with a direct hit.
Marcus O’Riordan claimed a wicket with his first ball when Carlson went for 18, caught at backward square leg by Rogers. At that point it was 52 for 3 but Labuschagne and Colin Ingram fought back with 54 which ended when Joey Evison had Ingram caught by Rogers for 26 off 13 balls.
Chris Cooke went for 6, drove Gilchrist to Jack Leaning at long-off and Ben Kellaway was run out by Rogers and Billings off-balance for 3, but Labuschagne powered his way to a half-century in the final over.
Kent’s Blast campaign has been so dismal that it looked like the kind of target they would struggle to chase down with 20 overs to play. They got 12 from a promising first over but lost Tawanda Muyeye for 7, falling behind to Dan Douthwaite.
O’Riordan should have gone for a duck in the same over and although Andy Gorvin missed an absolute dolly at midwicket, he failed to cash in. – corner boundary before Labuschagne bowls O’Riordan for 9 off 14.
Billings hit Crane for a six that landed on the roof of the Cowdrey Stand and Smale bowled Jack Leaning when he left Labuschagne on 9, but Glamorgan’s economical bowling meant the rate spiraled out of control.
Kent needed 54 from the last three overs and the pressure forced Billings into a poor shot, bringing van der Gugten to Carlson at cover. Van der Gugten was then caught Leaning by Kellaway at deep square for 11 and although Rogers had a bit of fun, his unbeaten 31 off 12 begged the question of why he hadn’t bowled higher up the order.
Kent needed an improbable 29 off Douthwaite’s last over but managed only 15 and defeat guarantees the 2021 champions will finish bottom of the South Group.