The 45-year-old scores a whirlwind 190 and removes Australian Marnus Labuschagne on a wild day two in Canterbury
Demolition Darren stars again with bat and ball
Darren Stevens, the oldest professional player in English cricket at 45, has enjoyed an amazing six-hitting day with the bat, while also making Australian Test batsman Marnus Labuschagne's life a misery once more with the ball.
Stevens crashed a thunderous 190 for Kent on Friday to almost single-handedly revive their hopes on day two of their County Championship match with Labuschagne's Glamorgan at Canterbury.
πππ A standing ovation for Darren Stevens from everyone at @Spitfire_Ground @Stevo208 π #SuperKent pic.twitter.com/81zm2Vh6tr%E2%80%94 Kent Cricket (@KentCricket) May 21, 2021
He clocked an astonishing 15 sixes and 15 fours from just 149 balls, as Kent recovered to 307 all out, having slumped to 7-92.
Stevens utterly dominated a partnership of 166 for the ninth wicket with Miguel Cummins, to which the latter contributed just a single.
Image Id: 0B703DCBAD0D42F184559844DCDC431A Image Caption: Going, going, gone! // GettyThen to make his day, he removed Labuschagne, adding to the Australian's dismal run of form, as Glamorgan limped to 2-55 for two at stumps, a deficit of 252.
Stevens, who had also dismissed Labuschagne lbw for 11 during his first match back for Glamorgan at Cardiff in April, again trapped him leg before, for exactly the same score.
Labuschagne looked distinctly disgruntled and had something to say to the umpire as he trooped away following the dismissal.
Image Id: 459A12673BB44EF19BADFBA53D0A231C Image Caption: Labuschagne's lean run continues // GettyIt meant that since winning the player of the match award for Queensland for his 192 in the Sheffield Shield final against New South Wales, Labuschagne has now scored 11, 12, 10, 0 and 11 in his five innings - a total of 44 - since returning to his Welsh county Glamorgan.
It did not help that he also dropped Stevens on the boundary during the veteran's six-hitting onslaught.
The good news? He was the man who finally ended Stevens' rampage, getting him caught on the long-on boundary. Labuschagne ended with figures of 2-27.
πͺπΆπ°πΈπ²π. Stevens falls for a brilliant 190 - well batted π Free free to put your feet up for a couple of days... πΊ https://t.co/FwzmS5iJzT#KENTvGLAM | #GoGlam pic.twitter.com/G5sg4Y64NA%E2%80%94 Glamorgan Cricket π (@GlamCricket) May 21, 2021