ONE day cricket has given Kent more joy than the County Championship this season.

Although close to promotion in 2012, Kent have struggled in the longer form of the games so far this year.

An abject defeat inside two days against Worcestershire allowed the visitors to leap-frog Kent and leave them bottom of Division Two.

Sam Northeast’s 52 and 40 from Mark Davies (above) were the only knocks of substance in the first innings.

Although Matt Coles bowled well (5-31), and the visitors were dismissed out for 195, Kent’s second innings was shocking.

Bowled out for 63, with Alan Richardson taking match figures of 12 for 63, Kent were left in a hopeless situation and Worcestershire knocked off the runs in just nine overs without loss.

Earlier in the week, the two teams met in another low scoring match in the Yorkshire Bank 40 one-day contest where bad weather reduced the match to 25 overs per side.

When Kent reduced the Royals to 110-9, they would have been confident of a comfortable victory.

However, they found themselves at 45-6 when James Tredwell joined Geraint Jones in the middle.

Tredwell played a true captain’s innings in front of the TV cameras and his 42no at better than a run a ball, along with 30 from Jones in his benefit season, enabled Kent to claim victory with 11 balls to spare.

Kent start another four-day game tomorrow at Chelmsford against Essex.

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