Daniel Bell-Drummond scored his maiden first class century as Kent began their final pre-season game against Cardiff MCCU at Canterbury.

The 19 year old batsman came it an number five and was unbeaten on 102 as Kent posted 333 for 8 declared after being invited to bat first by the University side and at stumps, Cardiff MCCU were 33 for 1 in reply.

Kent were to field an almost full strength side for the final warm up game ahead of the new season starting next week with Matt Coles missing the game due to sickness, allowing Calum Haggett to take his place in the side and make his first class debut.

Having been inserted into bat, Kent were to lose their first wicket with just nine runs on the board as former skipper Rob Key was bowled by Matthew Hobden for just one.

Fellow opener Sam Northeast had made his way onto fourteen when he became Hobden’s second victim, nicking the ball behind to keeper Adam Miles.

Brendan Nash and Mike Powell, elevated to numbers three and four in the order were to restore some calmness in the Kent batting and took them to 129 for 3 when Nash was to become the next batsman to fall to Hobden, bowled for 46 on the stroke of lunch.

Powell fell an hour into the second session as he was run out for 62, with Darren Stevens making a brisk 36 and Geraint Jones out for just one.

New captain James Tredwell and Bell-Drummond saw Kent through to tea with the score 263 for 6 with the latter having just brought up his fifty.

Tredwell was to eventually fall for 41 and Haggett was to go without troubling the scorers as they became Hobden’s fourth and fifth victims of the innings.

With a declaration looming, Bell-Drummond went through the gears to bring up his maiden first class century, punishing Fabian Cowdrey who plays for Cardiff MCCU despite being a Kent registered player.

The declaration came as soon as Bell-Drummond had brought up his ton with the score on 333, leaving 45 minutes to have 12 overs at the Cardiff MCCU openers.

Cowdrey looked assured against both Charlie Shreck and Mark Davies as he made his way to 23 not out at the close, but lost fellow opener Zac Elkin lbw to Davies for just three.

With the light fading and the temperature plummeting, the players made their way from the field at 6:30pm with Bell-Drummond set to sleep well after a day he will never forget.

 

Kent side: Key, Northeast, Nash, Powell, Bell-Drummond, Stevens, Jones, Tredwell, Haggett, Davies, Shreck.

Cardiff MCCU side: Cowdrey, Elkin, Denning, Qureshi, Balbirnie, Davies, Miles, Salter, Harris, Hobden, Siddique.

Umpires: PK Baldwin & MJD Bodenham

Close of play day one: Kent 333 for 8 dec, Cardiff MCCU 33 for 1.