Kent hold advantage following second day at Canterbury
Day Two report from Canterbury brought to you by C&C Insurance Brokers
Kent lead Lancashire by 105 after reaching 96 without loss at stumps in their second innings of their Rothesay County Championship match at Canterbury.
Earlier Lancashire were dismissed for 284 in their first innings, a deficit of nine, Matt Quinn taking four for 43 and Matt Parkinson four for 93.
Luke Wells hit 80 and although the visitors slumped to 195 for eight, Tom Hartley bailed them out with a 64, after he’d been dropped twice.
Kent’s openers Jaydn Denly and Ben Dawkins responded with an aggressive and unbroken partnership and the hosts will be the happier of the two sides at the end of the second day.
Lancashire were 19 without loss overnight and after yesterday’s collision with Ben Compton, Tawanda Muyeye developed delayed concussion symptoms. He was replaced by Joe Denly, in line with ECB protocols, although as a like-for-like replacement he wasn’t allowed to bowl. Compton himself hurt his wrist and was unable to field, or open.
Kent were buoyed by two early wickets. Matt Quinn struck in the fifth over of the morning, getting Jennings caught at first slip by Ben Dawkins for 17 and Josh Bohannon went for a fifth-ball duck, edging Joey Evison to Dawkins, who caught him at the second attempt.
Although the ball regularly beat the bat, Wells and Marcus Harris put on 82 for the third wicket, Parkinson breaking the partnership when the latter charged at him and was stumped by Harry Finch for 32, leaving Lancs on 118 for three at lunch.
The visitors regained the momentum until Matty Hurst played on to Quinn and was bowled for 24. Parkinson then had Wells caught behind.
Quinn caught and bowled Michael Jones for four, then got George Balderson lbw for 11.
When Parkinson had Tom Bailey caught by Jaydn Denly at first slip for three, Lancs were eight down and still 98 behind, but Hartley was dropped twice off Parkinson, by Finch and Mo Rizvi, and alongside Will Williams he steered Lancashire to 254 for eight at tea.
The deficit was down to 33 when Williams was lbw to Jaydn Denly, for 26, but Hartley responded by smearing Parkinson for six over midwicket to bring up his 50 and the visitors were almost level when he hit Parkinson down Ekansh Singh’s throat.
With Compton absent, Jaydn Denly and Dawkins immediately went on the attack. The former pulled Hartley for six over midwicket and passed fifty with an elegant reverse-sweep off Wells, shortly before stumps.
Dawkins survived a loud appeal in the final over, as Bailey bowled a tricky over of off-spin.
For more information about Rothesay, please visit England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) - The Official Website of the ECB