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WEARING new boots was just about the only schoolboy error Justin Kemp made as he powered Kent home to a four-wicket Friends Provident Trophy win over Sussex at a gloomy Hove.
On his season's debut for Kent - hence the new boots - Kemp hammered an unbeaten 68 from 75 balls and broke a bat in the process in helping Kent to victory with a ball to spare.
Though sporting huge blisters bigger than 50 pence pieces on both his heels afterwards, the smiling South African said: "We got ourselves into a pretty good position (chasing 246 to win) until Michael Yardy came on and bowled pretty well.
"I didn't attack as I should have against him, but when you win a tight game like that it sometimes doesn't matter how. It was just great to get over the line.
"I lost the strike a bit toward the end, but I'm happy because I haven't played a game for almost four weeks so for me it's enough to get out there for Kent and win a game.
"We have such a good side but aren't bowling that well as a unit right now. But we've won a match now and we know all the areas we have to improve on, so we can hopefully all move forward from this."
Kent and Kemp are in Trophy action again on Bank Holiday Monday when they travel to The Brit Oval to take on Surrey from noon.