Essex 187 for 6 (Allison 74, Milnes 3-23) beat Kent 184 for 9 (Billings 62, Akhter 3-19) by three runs
Having been stuck in, a tepid start for Essex was compounded by losing openers Michael Pepper and Paul Walter in the powerplay, and could have been in deep trouble if the returning Cox had been given out as well.
The former Kent keeper-batter had been unused by Royal Challengers Bengaluru and therefore a pair of England Lions outings over the last four days were his only competitive matches since February.
He quickly got into his work with a carved drive through point second ball before back-to-back forceful pulls proved he was not rusty. Fred Klaassen thought he had run him out with his fingertip at the non-striker’s end. Replays were inconclusive and TV umpire Rob White had no option but to give it not out – much to Billings’ chagrin.
Cox had been on 17 when he survived that close shave, but he rebuilt with Allison in a 58-run partnership. But after Cox, for 40, and Luc Benkenstein fell in successive overs, but 21-year-old Allison took over with sixes galore. He smashed six maximums on his way to backing up 67 not out, and 61 in his last two innings.
Wiaan Mulder looked like he was chewing up balls, with just three runs coming off his first four, before exploding with boundaries, as he thumped 26 off his next six deliveries before he was caught – giving Matt Milnes his third in exemplary figures of 3 for 23. Their 49-run partnership boosted Essex towards a par score of 187.
The Spitfires had a similar powerplay to the hosts, as Bennett dismissed both openers, as they were held behind the rate. Zak Crawley and Billings threatened to take the game away with a quickfire stand of 37 but Zum Akhter and Matt Critchley struck in back-to-back overs to put Essex in control.
Billings picked up his 41st T20 half-century but he and Chris Benjamin – the latter to a brilliant boundary juggle catch – fell within three balls of each other.
Things fizzled out for the visitors as Keith Dudgeon was the victim of a Simon Harmer direct hit, before Akhter – who picked up 3 for 19 – had Grant Stewart and Milnes caught in the same over. Jake Lintott and Klaassen threatened to make things nervy with a 34-run partnership for the last wicket but Essex held on.
