Debutant Kirby leads Yorkshire to win in top of the table clash

Yorkshire's debutant seamer Steven Kirby put CricInfo Championship leaders Yorkshire on the road to a nine-wicket victory over Kent at Headingley today with a sensational exhibition of bowling.

After Kent's sixth wicket pair had defied Yorkshire throughout the morning session, Kirby wiped away the remainder of the batting with five wickets for nine runs in just 29 balls, leaving him with the remarkable figures of seven for 50.

Kent were bowled out for 250 which left Yorkshire to make 50 to extend their lead at the top of the table and they took just 12 overs to reach their target soon after tea.

Kirby, who had dismissed openers David Fulton and Rob Key with consecutive balls yesterday after they had put on 93 together, began by trapping Martin Saggers lbw for a career-best 30 to end his 66 stand with Paul Nixon.

In his next over he had Nixon lbw and James Golding caught behind off consecutive deliveries and soon after he smashed down Min Patel's stumps with a yorker and gained another lbw decision to send back last man Ben Trott.

Scott Richardson was quickly into double figures for Yorkshire before his opening partner Matthew Wood hit Trott for six and four off consecutive balls, only to be caught behind off the following delivery.

Yorkshire by now, however, were well on their way towards their fourth win of the season and it came when Richardson found the boundary to leave him unbeaten on 29.

An ecstatic Kirby said afterwards: "It was a dream come true to suddenly find myself called up to replace Matthew Hoggard when he was drafted into the England squad.

"It was an honour just to play for Yorkshire and I can hardly believe that I have taken seven wickets and helped to keep them to the top of the Championship table."

Kirby's figures were the best by a Yorkshire debutant in Championship cricket since Paul Hutchison had an identical analysis of seven for 50 against Hampshire at Portsmouth in 1997.

Yorkshire achieved their win despite being without Chris Silverwood since he pulled up with a groin strain after tea on the third day.