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COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, Canterbury:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY THREE: Kent 517 Surrey 423 and 148-5 (Kent 8pts, Surrey 8pts)
28-31 August 2009
Division Two promotion favourites Kent look set to take command at the top of the table after setting up a likely final day victory against Surrey. Resuming at 242-3, Geraint Jones took his overnight 102 on to a career-best 156, sharing a 183-run stand with Darren Stevens, who made 112. Justin Kemp's 92 then helped marshal the tail as Kent reached 517 all out. But a Surrey side already minus injured Mark Ramprakash were then reduced to 148-5, James Tredwell taking 3-41. That leaves them just 54 runs ahead, effectively with just four seconds innings wickets left, as the prolific Ramprakash will take no further part in the game (or for the rest of the season) after breaking his thumb when batting on Saturday. A seventh Championship win of the season would take leaders Kent 28 points clear at the top. Sunny conditions and a fairly benign Canterbury pitch allowed Kent's middle order to make hay against a lacklustre Surrey attack. Only a break in concentration, as the players trooped off for five minutes' drizzle, led to Jones' demise three balls after the resumption, having his leg stump plucked out by Stuart Meaker. But Stevens did not reach his century without being dropped off successive balls in the nervous 90s. On 90, visiting skipper Stewart Walters put down a one-handed diving slip chance off Jade Dernbach which led to a single. Then, from his next ball on strike, Stevens chipped a simple chance to mid-off against Tim Linley only for Pedro Collins to down a sitter. To rub salt into Surrey wounds, they also conceded five penalty runs when Walters picked up a glove discarded by Jonathan Batty and put it on to collect the wicketkeeper's throw to the stumps. Stevens eventually reached his 111-ball as he and Kemp, whose 92 came off just 79 deliveries, counter-attacked against the second new ball. Kemp, after clattering leg-spinner Chris Schofield for three sixes, ran himself out eight runs short of a ton when attempting a tight second to Schofield out at deep point. But Kent were already scenting success having posted maximum batting bonus points and a useful lead. Surrey then lost both openers in the space of five balls early in their reply, Michael Brown to a bat-pad catch to silly point off off-spinner James Tredwell and Jonathan Batty lbw to seamer Phil Edwards. Tredwell struck again after tea, having Walters snaffled at short-leg and, two runs later, Matt Spriegel had his off-stump pegged back by Edwards to make it 57 for four. Usman Afzaal (44) and Schofield (33no) stopped the rot with a fifth-wicket stand worth 78 which wiped out the first-innings deficit. But Tredwell switched to his favoured Pavilion End to trap Afzaal leg before. And, although Schofield and Meaker survived the nine remaining overs, Kent look favourites to wrap up victory on Monday.
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