Yasir Arafat shared a match-winning stand with Ryan McLaren
A PARTNERSHIP of 71 between Yasir Arafat and Ryan McLaren ensured Kent recorded their first county championship win of the season.
Kent beat Nottinghamshire by three wickets at Trent Bridge as Arafat (36 not out) and McLaren (37 not out) saw their side past the target of 244.
However, it wasn’t all plain sailing for Kent as they limped to 173 for seven with the fall of Justin Kemp’s wicket.
After their 67 run partnership in the first innings that saw Kent scrape a 36 run lead, Arafat and McLaren again came up trumps to avenge the team’s 10 wicket defeat on the opening day of the season against Notts.
Kent resumed four wickets down on day four and stand-in captain Martin van Jaarsveld soon brought up his half century.
Van Jaarsveld and Kemp put on 35 until van Jaarsveld was bowled by Ryan Sidebottom for his first wicket of the innings.
The England seamer was on a hat-trick when he bowled former international wicketkeeper Geraint Jones first ball and Kent were in a perilous position at 159 for six, still 85 runs short with only four wickets remaining.
Kemp was next man out, caught by Matt Wood, bowled Charlie Shreck for a patient 19 off 58 balls.
However, it brought Arafat to the crease to join McLaren as the pair guided Kent home.