An unbeaten century partnership between Sam Northeast and Daniel Bell-Drummond helped Kent to a draw against South Africa on Sunday.

The pair came to the crease with the tourists taking a first innings lead of 104 runs, but by the time the two captains shook hands shortly after 5pm, the side had a lead of one run and had earnt a creditable draw against the International side.

The day had been scheduled to start at 10:30am after so much play had been lost on Saturday, but yet again the outfield was deemed to wet to start then and the usual eleven o’clock resumption was preferred.

Not out batsmen Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis carried on where they had left off on Saturday morning, cautious to start with, but more adventurous in their shot play once they were settled.

Amla was first to his half century, with Kallis not too far behind as they picked off the odd bad ball served up to them, but the Kent attack had done well to restrict their scoring options.

With Amla on 77 and Kallis on 54, the pair elected to retire out, with the score on 180 for 2, allowing AB de Villiers and Jacques Rudolph some much needed batting practice ahead of the First Test against England on Thursday.

However, de Villiers hadn’t read the script and lasted just 23 balls when he picked out Bell-Drummond in the field off Matt Coles for just 14.

JP Duminy, in at seven played some nice shots for his 34 before Ivan Thomas got himself a wicket, clean bowling the diminuitive Saouth African.

The loss of Duminy heralded a run of wickets as the Kent bowlers started to show their ability with the ball.

Next to go was Vernon Philander for nought as he nicked his second ball to Adam Riley at slip off Charlie Shreck. Having stood there for some time, disputing whether it had carried, the umpires consulted and he was sent on his way.

Riley didn’t have to wait long to pick up his second and third wickets as Dale Steyn was trapped lbw for just four, shaking his head as he wandered off and the off spinner picked up the prized sclap of Rudolph, caught and bowled, just one ball after having brought up is fifty.

It was down to Shreck to wrap up the innings as he had Morne Morkel lbw for a blistering 16 off 12 balls, leaving Imran Tahit stranded not out on nought.

So, with South Africa deciding that was their lot, tea was called with the tourists on 314 all out, or 314 for 8, depending on how you want to look at it, but either way the Kent batsmen came out with a 104 run deficit.

Northeast and Bell-Drummond were clearly intent on using the opportunity of facing some of the world’s best bowlers to their advantage.

They showed them some respect at first, but once it was clear the wicket had flattened out, they began to play their shots.

Northeast was particularly keen to score at a good rate, whilst Bell-Drummond showed why he is being tipped as a potential England batsman, even at the tender age of just eighteen.

South African captain Graeme Smith looked to rotate his bowlers, using them for four overs at the very most so as not to risk injury, giving the Kent opening pair the chance to have a go.

Bell-Drummond was especially punishing to Kallis, hitting for three boundaries in his first over, showing he is technically correct, playing the ball very late.

Northeast (54 not out) had time before the close to bring up his half century, whilst Bell-Drummond ran out of time, finishing 48 not out, with the two captains having already agreed they would finish play as close to 5pm as possible.

The pair walked off to rapturous applause from the Kent faithful, sound in the knowledge they had kept out one of the best bowling attacks in the world – and with a one run lead to boot!

South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl

Kent side: Northeast (c), Bell-Drummond, Harmison, Powell, Blake, Billings, Coles, Cook, Riley, Thomas, Shreck.

South Africa side: Smith, Peterson, Amla, Kallis, de Villiers, Rudolph, Duminy, Philander, Steyn, Morkel, Tahir.

Umpires: J Evans & T Jesty

Result: Kent 210 all out & 105 for 0, South Africa 314 all out.

Picture by Sarah Ansell. To see more of Sarah’s pictures, visit www.sarahcanterbury.com