Mahmood stars for Spitfires

Azhar Mahmood shone with bat and ball for Kent as they comfortbly beat Glamorgan

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Azhar Mahmood hit a quickfire 68 as Kent Spitfires claimed a 59-run victory over Glamorgan Dragons under the Duckworth-Lewis method in a rain-reduced 36-over Pro40 match at Canterbury.

Kent reached 202 for nine in 36 overs, and in reply Glamorgan could only post 131 for nine from 30.2 overs before rain ended play.

Opening the bowling in overcast conditions after his batting effort, Mahmood also had an extraordinary five-ball spell in which he claimed three wickets without conceding a run.

After Glamorgan had put on 27 for the first wicket, they lost the next three with 35 runs on the board as Richard Grant, Jamie Dalrymple and Tom Maynard all fell in quick succession.

A stand of 43 between Ben Wright and Michael Powell took the total to 78 when Simon Cook, having replaced Mahmood, had Powell caught at long-on for 15.

Geraint Jones promptly then had the bails off with Mark Wallace out of the crease to the bowling of James Tredwell and the same combination later accounted for the wicket of David Harrison for two.

Wright battled on with little help from the other end and having hit a six off Ryan McLaren, he later hit another off Tredwell to reach 40.

His half-century came from 68 balls but in the following over, on 51, he lost his middle stump to Cook which brought Jason Gillespie, suffering from a hamstring injury, out to bat with a runner.

The Australian reached five with Dean Cosker on six in the Glamorgan total, as Mahmood and Tredwell claimed three wickets each prior to the final burst of rain.

Earlier, having been put in to bat, the Spitfires lost two quick wickets and were 22 for two in the fourth over.

But Martin van Jaarsveld and Matthew Walker took the total to 74 before the latter chopped a ball from James Harris on to his stumps.

Left-arm spinner Cosker was brought on to replace Harris and he struck with his third ball, having van Jaarsveld caught behind as he tried to deflect the ball down the leg side, which reduced the Spitfires to 89 for four.

The Dragons continued to attack and claimed two more wickets but Mahmood dominated the play thereafter in a 75-run strand with McLaren.

He reached 39 with a huge six over wide midwicket off Jamie Dalrymple and lifted the next ball for six over mid-on.

Mahmood's half-century came from 42 balls with a boundary off Harris whose next ball went for a straight six, and two balls later the Pakistani drove him powerfully to cover to reach 61.

Harris eventually had him caught in the last over when he skied a drive to mid-off.

McLaren, having given good support to Mahmood, was also a victim of Harris when he was yorked on 27 as Kent totalled 202 for nine. Harris was the pick of the bowlers with four for 48.