The Regional finals of the T20 took place simultaneously at three locations. Kent played Essex, Middlesex and Sussex on a ‘round robin’ over two very hot days in August, with the two top teams meeting in a ‘final’ at the end of the second day. Kent, having been unbeaten in their three games, then met Sussex again in the final and suffered a narrow defeat. This left us all waiting on the results of the other two centers and the frantic use of a calculator, to see if Kent qualified as the ‘best of the rest’, to take the fourth place for a finals day against, as it turned out, Sussex, Berkshire and Yorkshire.

The County Twenty20 CupThe weather forecast for finals day was not brilliant, but we arrived in Shenley at the Denis Compton Oval for the draw for the semi-finals. Kent were drawn against Sussex in the semi’s - this would be our fifth meeting of the season, with honors even after two championship and two T20 games, Kent were determined to make it 3-2 in their favour.

Kent won the toss and decided to put Sussex in, but, at one stage, it looked like the weather would be the ultimate winner, when rain came down and took 37 minutes of play (although no overs were deducted), from the Sussex innings. Alice Davidson Richards took a wicket in every one of her overs, finishing with 4-13, Jo Watts took 2-24 and, together with Charlotte Edwards 2-10, the Sussex  total of 101-9 looked within reach.

Sussex, however were not so sure, and when Charlotte Edwards was caught by Georgia Adams for 1 and Tammy Beaumont also went quickly for just 10, the fall of Lydia Greenway just 3 runs later meant Kent were 37-3. Laura Marsh, who was batting at 2, was running out of partners, but she kept her nerve, and with some support from the lower order, eventually took Kent past the total with 3 balls to spare - leaving her on 55*.

Kent were then ready to face Berkshire, who had also had a very close game with Yorkshire, winning by just 10 runs.

The weather was now settling, and a hint of sunshine appeared as Berkshire came out to bat, having won the toss. Tammy Beaumont was kept busy behind the stumps with three stumpings and a catch, with other runs outs and two catches; one by Charlotte Edwards and one for Jo Watts, it was the fielding that kept the Berks total down to 73 ao after 19.1 overs.

It took just 11 overs for Kent to make the 74 required, with Tammy Beaumont finishing on 26* and Lydia Greenway on 20* .  So the women take their second trophy of the season back to Canterbury - well done - County Champions and T20 Champions - what a great 2011 season!

THE WINNERS AND COUNTY CHAMPIONS - KENT!

After the hard work, time for enjoying the moment