Arafat stars again for Kent

Yasir Arafat has been the outstanding bowler for Kent in 2008 © Getty Images

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A magnificent spell of new-ball bowling by Yasir Arafat spearheaded Kent to a 106-run Friends Provident Trophy victory over Essex at Chelmsford.

The Pakistan all-rounder demolished the Essex top order by claiming four of the first five wickets, all of them lbw, as the hosts floundered in search of 231.

Arafat returned figures of 4-29 from eight overs as Essex were bowled out for 124 in the 26th over, to leave them suffering their first Trophy defeat of the season and surrender their top spot in the South East Division to their opponents.

Arafat struck with the fifth and sixth deliveries of his opening over, to get rid of Mark Pettini, who had scored 119 when the sides met in the competition earlier in the season, and Ravi Bopara.

He also removed Grant Flower and James Foster during this devastating burst, and with Azhar Mahmood getting rid of Jason Gallian for 24, also lbw, Essex found themselves in disarray at 42 for five by the end of the 10th over.

Graham Napier and Chris Wright unleashed a few belligerent strokes to each reach 23, but their efforts were too short-lived to be meaningful.

Antiguan fast bowler Robbie Joseph provided the main support to Arafat, with figures of 3-30 from 6.5 overs.

Justin Kemp was the mainstay of the Kent innings with 51, the only half-century of the match.

It included only three boundaries and lasted 86 deliveries, ending when the South African swung Bopara to deep midwicket.

But in the context of the game it was a valuable effort, after the medium-pace of Napier had removed Joe Denly and Martin van Jaarsveld with successive balls in his first over.

Napier, a former England Under-19 all-rounder, also claimed the scalp of Robert Key for 41 after he had shared in an opening stand of 62 with Denly.

Napier and Bopara both finished with fine figures of 3-29 and 3-49 respectively, but their performances were not enough to deny Kent a victory that avenged the 31-run defeat they suffered at Canterbury earlier in the competition.