Kent batsman Alex Blake admitted it was extra special to hit the winning runs at Beckenham because of his links to the area.

The 27-year-old earned the man of the match award for a superb 66 not out in a nail-biting victory over Surrey on Sunday.

A former Hayes School pupil, Blake plays his club cricket for Beckenham and says he enjoys the trips to Kent’s secondary base.

When asked whether his links to the area made the innings feel even more special, Blake said: Yeah, massively.

“My home club is just down the road and a lot of friends and family come here to watch me so it’s great to be able to show them what I can do.

“That’s in the back of your mind when you’re out there and only need 10 to win – you think ‘I can hit the winning runs here’.

“It was nice to do it and to share that feeling with a lot of friends and family. It’s certainly an added bonus.”

A disciplined bowling performance from the Spitfires restricted Surrey to 255/8 despite Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara scoring an elegant half-century.

In-form opener Daniel Bell-Drummond made another fifty although four wickets for four runs pegged Kent back to 115/5.

However, Blake demonstrated his maturity and class to strike nine boundaries in an unbeaten 66, as Kent reached the target with one wicket and ball remaining.

Farnborough-born Blake insisted he always felt the chase was under control.

He said: “I felt it was under control going into the last over, but it got a little tense.

“I knew what Tom Curran was going to bowl so I just set myself for it. As soon as I got it out of the middle I went a bit mad.

“I actually changed bat at the end, I used one of Stevo’s (Darren Stevens) bats and I seemed to hit a couple of boundaries so I might have to take that off him.”

The final-over victory came just two days after Kent suffered a heavy defeat to Gloucestershire in the NatWest T20 Blast.

The weekend’s events were part of six-days of cricket to be held in Beckenham as Jimmy Adams’ team return to BR3 in September for a Specsavers County Championship fixture.

Blake added: “I’ve always enjoyed playing at Beckenham. I play a lot of second XI cricket here and I’ve generally done well.

“It’s general a good wicket, a fast outfield and I’m always really up for our games here.”

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