He's come up with 29 home run balls: 24 off the bat and five tossed to him after landing in bullpens and other areas.

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"If the lower order can face about 100 balls between them and I'll bat at the other end then hopefully we'll get a really good score on the board, " he added.

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The 21-year-old opener, a product of the Kent youth system, carried his bat with 115 from 189 balls, including 15 fours, and made over half Kent's runs.

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They chose to bat in Perth and were anchored by a calm 97 from 117 balls by Hashim Amla, who shared 118 in 23 overs with AB de Villers, who made 60 off 71.

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In fact, a year ago, the team had only one softball bat, one baseball cap, three balls, no official rulebook, and nine used gloves.

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Porterfield, who faced 93 balls, did not bat as fluently as his opening partner and had been dropped twice before he was caught behind off Tom Cooper.

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Starting the match ranked the best batsman in Test cricket, the veteran left-hander lasted a total of six balls across both his innings - here squeezing a catch off bat and pad to silly point.

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"It's nice to get through your first few balls and then start hitting a few in the middle of the bat, " he said after his 39 not out eased his side to victory over Hampshire.

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And Dwayne Bravo answered Lara's call to produce more with the bat by making 27 off 22 balls to help lift the total beyond 250.

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