Teenage Legspinner Tazeem Ali Claims Second Five-Wicket Haul in Four Days to Seal Warwickshire Victory

Teenage Legspinner Tazeem Ali Claims Second Five-Wicket Haul in Four Days to Seal Warwickshire Victory

Rugby School – Warwickshire secured back-to-back victories in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with a dominant 79-run win over Kent, driven by another exceptional performance from teenage legspinner Tazeem Ali, who claimed his second five-wicket haul in four days.

After posting 283 for 9, thanks to solid contributions from Ed Barnard (60) and Kai Smith (58), Warwickshire bowled out Kent for 204, with 17-year-old Ali continuing his red-hot form by taking 5 for 54, following his 5 for 43 against Northamptonshire just days earlier.

In front of another strong crowd at Rugby School, Warwickshire chose to bat first and got the solid start they had been lacking in earlier group matches. Openers Barnard and Rob Yates (46) put on a brisk 97-run stand in 14 overs. Barnard looked in fluent touch, reaching his half-century off 52 balls and passing 2,000 career List A runs before being stumped attempting a sweep off Joe Denly.

Kent’s spinners, including Matt Parkinson (1 for 36) and Jack Leaning, managed to slow the scoring through the middle overs, but a timely 79-run partnership between Smith and Vansh Jani (42) helped the Bears push the total past 280. Late breakthroughs from Fred Klaassen and Grant Stewart kept Kent in contention.

Kent’s chase got off to a disastrous start, slumping to 19 for 3 within four overs. Barnard removed Ben Dawkins and Joey Evison in consecutive balls, while Ethan Bamber dismissed Chris Benjamin with a sharp catch taken by Smith behind the stumps.

Veterans Denly (52) and Harry Finch (50) steadied the innings with a 91-run partnership, but their dismissals in quick succession—Denly slicing Ali to short third man and Finch falling to debutant Adam Sylvester—derailed Kent’s recovery.

Ali then took over, rattling the stumps of Leaning and Stewart before returning to clean up Parkinson and Michael Cohen in the same over. Sylvester, on debut, also impressed with a miserly spell of 1 for 7 in five overs, applying pressure alongside the in-form Ali.

Warwickshire now look well-positioned in the group stage, while Kent’s struggles continue, with this their third consecutive defeat in the competition.

Score Summary:

Warwickshire 283 for 9 (Barnard 60, Smith 58, Jani 42)
Kent 204 all out (Denly 52, Finch 50, Ali 5-54)

Warwickshire won by 79 runs.