TWENTY20 CUP SOUTH DIVISION, The Rose Bowl:
Kent 132-3 beat Hampshire 131-7 by seven wickets (Kent 2pts)

Kent batsman Darren Stevens hit two sixes and five fours in his 42-ball 62

An unbeaten 62 from Darren Stevens led Kent to a seven-wicket win over Hampshire and a place in the quarter-finals of the Twenty20 Cup.

An unbroken stand of 102 between Stevens and Geraint Jones (35) rescued Kent from 30-3, taking them to their target of 132 with 13 balls to spare.

Earlier, the hosts were struggling at 42-6 before 45 from Dimitri Macarenhas helped them close on 131-7.

Hampshire play Essex on Sunday, when the winners will make the last eight.

Kent can only finish as low as third in the South Division, but even that would be enough to take them through as one of the two best third-placed sides.

After winning the toss, Hampshire were soon in trouble when Ryan McLaren (2-17) removed Jimmy Adams and Michael Carberry with the score on just 24.

Sean Ervine, Michael Lumb, Liam Dawson and Chris Benham all fell cheaply before Mascarenhas shared stands of 40 with Nic Pothas (21) and 49 with Dominic Cork (18 not out) to help the hosts to a respectable score.

Mascarenhas and Cork then dismissed Rob Key and Joe Denly respectively, and when Chris Tremlett bowled Martin van Jaarsveld it looked like Hampshire would be taking a stride towards the quarter-finals.

But the turning point came when Jones was dropped on three at first slip by Cork off the bowling of Mascarenhas.

The former England wicketkeeper then combined with Stevens to take Kent to the quarter-finals.

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