Kia Oval Talking Points: Harry Finch and Sam Billings' efforts in vain as Surrey hold their nerve

The Cricketer looks at the main talking points from the Men's T20 Blast match between Surrey and Kent at the Kia Oval

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Movement That Inspires play of the day

Harry Finch's catch was so good to dismiss Dom Sibley that BBC radio commentator Mark Church thought it was Jack Leaning.

Indeed, Leaning has quite a reputation in the field.

Sibley got hold off a short ball from Tom Rodgers, pouncing on a ball which wasn't quick enough given the length, and he pulled the ball deep square leg.

Finch ran in, timed his dive to perfection and picked the ball up inches off the turf.

It was an outstanding grab, reducing Surrey to 8 for 1 in the second over of the chase - Will Jacks would soon follow - as Kent got a foothold in the chase.

Related: Rain fast forwards inevitable ending as Hampshire beat Surrey

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Laurie Evans and Chris Jordan celebrate dragging Surrey over the line (Ben Hoskins/Getty Images for Surrey CCC)

Take The Lead, Drive Electric moment of the day

Sam Billings finished on the losing side, but it was impossible to ignore how he guided Kent to the brink of an unlikely victory.

The Spitfires' skipper rotated his bowlers expertly, deploying his best seamers when he needed wickets or tight overs.

But while taking it to the final over, dialled up the pressure, it gave him the dilemma of choosing between Jack Leaning and Matt Parkinson to deliver the final over.

Reaching the final over past the cut-off time meant it was bowled with an extra fielder inside the circle, and that proved crucial.

The ball was eventually thrown to Parkinson, who served up five near-perfect deliveries to start.

But that ultimately counted for nothing come the final delivery, which Chris Jordan dispatched to the rope to secure victory.

Related: Kent return to loan market for bowling reinforcements

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It was a golden evening at the Kia Oval (Ben Hoskins/Getty Images for Surrey CCC)

Silence is golden

Lord's has a hum, Headingley has barks of enthusiasm.

The Kia Oval on a T20 night is the ultimate after-work drink.

It isn't particularly easy to determine quite how interested each spectator is in the context of the game. During most of the game, only sixes or eye-catching wickets get genuine attention.

But it was reassuring when, towards the end of the game, chatter turned to silence as the gravity of the occasion cut through.

While the game comes to terms with and tries to combat declining ticket sales, if nights like these don't encourage spectators to return, then the situation is more grave than we are perhaps accepting.

This report was brought to you in association with Kia – to find out more about why Kia is a leader in electrification, visit www.kia.com

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