MATCH REPORT: Four wickets for Green as Kent hold on for draw
Today's match report presented by C&C Insurance Brokers
A superb century by Grant Stewart in a record eighth wicket partnership with Joey Evison came to Kent’s rescue after four wickets by Chris Green and three from Tom Bailey had threatened to take Lancashire to a sensational victory before the teams shook hands on the draw on a dramatic final day of Rothesay County Championship action at Stanley Park.
Five wickets in the early afternoon had left Kent in dire straits on 116-7 and with 50 overs remaining. But Stewart and Evison batted through to the final hour to deny the hosts a much-needed win with Lancashire taking 14 points from the match and Kent 11.
After Lancashire had declared on their overnight score of 639-9 – their highest total at Blackpool – Bailey made an early breakthrough having first innings century maker Ben Compton lbw for 6.
Matt Parkinson, a surprise choice to open the batting for the first time in his career, had seen off 25 balls in making 4 before turning the 26th into the hands of Josh Bohannon at leg slip to give Green a wicket with his fourth delivery.
That left the visitors in early difficulties on 11-2 but some stout resistance from Jaydn Denly and Daniel Bell-Drummond steered Kent into calmer waters over the following hour and twenty minutes to reach lunch on 74-2 with Denly's leading edge off Green - that fell a fraction short of a diving George Balderson running in from long-off - the nearest chance of a third wicket.
Any sense of security that Kent may have built quickly unravelled following the loss of three wickets for 10 runs in 28 balls in a sensational start to the afternoon at the hands of Green.
The Australian all-rounder repeated the trick of taking a wicket in the first over of a spell by having Bell-Drummond smartly caught one-handed by Keaton Jennings at short leg to end a partnership of 64.
Jennings arguably took a better catch in Green’s following over swooping low down at short leg to send back Tawanda Muyeye for 3.
When Green trapped Jack Leaning lbw first ball the visitors had suddenly collapsed to 84-5 with the best part of two sessions left.
Denly, who had reached his maiden half century in between the early afternoon mayhem, and Evison rallied for a time with a 32-run stand off 68 balls before the loss of two wickets in one over to Bailey, now bowling off spin, provided another big setback.
Bailey first took the big wicket of Denly, bowled for 55, with the eighth ball of his spinning spell and then had Harry Finch superbly caught one-handed by Jennings at short leg for a duck with his twelfth, leaving Kent 116-7 and with 50 overs still to bat.
From that point, Evison and Grant Stewart combined effectively in a record eighth wicket partnership of 182 in 37.2 overs that saved the game for the visitors.
Stewart counter attacked to great effect either side of tea, making a quite superb century off just 79 balls hitting 8 sixes and 9 fours but also putting up some solid defence when necessary.
With Evison providing great support, the pair initially added 69 runs off 14 overs to reach tea and they continued to chip away at the deficit after the break.
They went past the highest 8th wicket partnership for Kent v Lancs of 139 by Ben Compton and Hamidullah Qadri at Canterbury in 2022 which also wiped off the deficit and meant Lancashire would have to bat again.
That possibility never arose, although Stewart fell for 130 after driving James Anderson to Bailey at cover in the fourth over of the final hour.
Wes Agar (21) and Evison, who made a vital 76 not out, had a couple of alarms before safely taking Kent to 328-8 with three overs remaining when the players shook hands to end an enthralling day at 6.10pm.
“I think we played some great cricket throughout the week,” said interim captain James Anderson.
“We won the toss and bowled, not really knowing what the wicket was going to do. It felt really slow from day one, but I thought the way we stuck at our task in the first innings of bowling Kent out for 360-odd, I thought it was a decent effort.
“And then to bat the way we did, I thought it was incredible. A record-breaking day for the lads, everyone contributed throughout the innings with some really special knocks in there as well. And that put us in a great position to have a crack at winning the game today.
“There were times throughout the day where we thought we were on top and had a really good chance. But credit to Kent there, they hung on at the end.
“It was a strange wicket. At times, it felt like it was spinning and spitting. And you felt in the game every ball, especially with Chris Green. I thought he bowled brilliantly.
“He’s used to playing mainly T20 cricket and he's done two months worth, I think, in three days! So he's done a fantastic effort. But as the ball got softer, it did less.
“As I said, I thought they played well. Their lower order played really well. It just made it hard for us to make that breakthrough.
We knew the new ball was coming, but we only had a short period of time with the new ball to get those last couple of wickets. And it proved not long enough.
“Obviously, the lads are disappointed in the dressing room not to get the win. But I just think the way we approached this week felt different to the rest of the season.”
Ken Grime
Photos: Luke Adams & Dan Adams
