A throwback century from Joe Denly helped relegation-threatened Kent to 345 for four on day two of their LV= Insurance County Championship match with Lancashire at Canterbury.
Replying to the visitors’ 327, Ben Compton, who was nominated to drop out had Zak Crawley been fit after England duty, anchored Kent’s innings with a typically obdurate 95.
Denly then played a more flamboyant 105 not out, from 149 balls with 11 fours and a six, to record his first red-ball century of the season as Kent closed with two potentially crucial batting points and a lead of 18. The hosts began the match a single point ahead of Middlesex in the Division One table and will be relegated if the sides finish level on points, having fewer wins.
It was a difficult day for Lancashire, with Jack Blatherwick being removed from the attack after bowling two beamers in an over.
Supporters with memories of the bygone age when England players were bundled into taxis as soon as their game was over and dispatched to the furthest flung corners of the county circuit were disappointed to learn that neither Zak Crawley nor Tom Hartley would be available until day three, following yesterday’s wash-out in Bristol.
Compton opened alongside Tawanda Muyeye but after enduring a torrid opening hour as the ball zipped around under grey St. Lawrence skies, the latter was just starting to look comfortable when he got out for 46.
George Balderson replaced Tom Bailey at the Pavilion End, his fourth delivery found Muyeye’s edge and Keaton Jennings took a brilliant one-handed catch low to his right.
Jennings then took a far easier catch to remove Daniel Bell-Drummond for three after Jack Morley found the shoulder of his bat, leaving Kent on 91 for two at lunch.
Morley then bowled Jack Leaning for 34, but Compton continued to grind his way on, reaching 50 from 146 balls.
Midway through the afternoon session Kent announced that as Crawley was now reported unwell he wouldn’t be available at all, although by this point the news seemed significantly less of a blow to Kent than it might have done had it been announced a few hours earlier. They moved to 231 for three at tea and Blatherwick then bowled an over he’s unlikely to forget.
It started well enough as he got Compton out with the first ball, caught off an attempted pull at backward point by Balderson. Harry Finch scrambled a single to get off the mark from the second and the hosts secured a first batting bonus point off the third when a Blatherwick delivery reared up and went for four byes off Denly’s helmet.
Play was immediately suspended for bad light and after a 25-minute delay Blatherwick resumed with a beamer. Denly then hooked him for four to bring up his 50 and when Blatherwick subsequently bowled a second beamer he was taken out of the attack.
He immediately apologised and Denly patted him on the side as he passed him, but it was left to Luke Wells to finish the over.
Denly swept Morley to secure a second batting point and brought up his 31st first-class hundred when he hit Bailey through cover for three. Finch took a single from Balderson to give Kent the lead and an increasingly demoralised bowling attack had conceded 38 extras by the time play was abandoned for bad light with seven overs remaining.
Kent’s Joe Denly said: “We spoke at he beginning of the day about trying to get into a commanding position come the end of play today and on a pretty good surface, if you get in on that wicket it’s good value, so the boys are really pleased with the position we’re in and hopefully with a bit more hard work in the morning tomorrow we can kick on.
“Both of them (the openers) set a really good platform for us to come in and play with a bit of freedom. They saw off that new ball and as we know the new ball’s always tricky. One of the hardest jobs is opening the batting and Tawanda looked a million dollars didn’t he?
“He’s an exciting prospect that’s for sure and Compo, as always is rock solid at the top. More often than not he gets us off to a really good start so I’m sure he’s disappointed not to get that extra five runs but he’s put us in a strong position.
“It speaks volumes about his character with potentially Zak coming back and only getting one crack at it but he played beautifully, showed intent throughout the day and it’s the best of Ben Compton we’ve seen.
“It’s been nice. I’ve found some really good rhythm. There’s no doubt runs have been lacking so it’s been nice in the last couple of weeks to contribute to some good performances, against Somerset getting away there with the draw and hopefully putting us in a really commanding position in this game.”