Title-chasing Kent will require a backs-to-the-wall batting effort on Sunday if they are to protect their unbeaten Division 2 status after the final day of their Specsavers County Championship clash with Durham in Canterbury.
Having been set an unlikely victory pursuit of 484 in a minimum of 90 overs, the hosts started their second innings just after 5.30pm and went in unscathed at stumps on 35 for nought – still needing 449 for an unlikely win.
Openers Daniel Bell-Drummond (17*) and Sean Dickson (16*) escaped the 30-minute examination without alarm despite a pitch that is waring and beginning to show signs of variable bounce.
Kent had started the day hanging on grimly in their first innings with skipper Sam Northeast leading their fight to avoid the follow-on. However, Paul Collingwood’s side needed only 12 overs and 50 minutes’ play to mop up Kent’s two remaining first-inning’s wickets and secure a 212-run lead.
Barry McCarthy polished the job off by having Yasir Shah caught behind by a tumbling Stuart Poynter for 48 and then, with his next delivery, snaring Mitchell Claydon lbw with the home score on 236.
Debutant Shah featured in a ninth-wicket stand worth 113 in 34.2 overs with his new captain Northeast, who was left unbeaten on 109 after posting his 18th first-class hundred from 162 balls and with 13 fours.
McCarthy finished with a career-best 6-63, while Chris Rushworth bagged three for 69 in a much-improved Durham bowling performance.
Batting again before noon and after deciding not to enforce the follow-on, Durham suffered a near immediate blow with the loss of left-handed opener Keaton Jennings.
Prodding half-forward and inside the line of Darren Stevens’ first delivery, an off-cutter, the ball thudded into the right pad forcing umpire Jeff Evans to raise his finger.
Stephen Cook needed a stroke of luck to survive with his score on 25. Driving loosely at one from Will Gidman he watched as Matt Coles, at second slip, dropped a tough chance diving in front of first slip.
After lunch, Durham continued at a surprisingly sedate pace, adding 100 in the mid-session for the loss of Stephen Cook who, with his score on 44, fenced at one from Claydon to edge to the keeper.
Kent’s short-leg fielder Dickson went off for treatment just before tea when Graham Clark’s full-blooded sweep against Yasir Shah struck him a fearful blow at the back of his neck and immediately drew blood. Thankfully, the South Africa-born player emerged after the interval to take up a fielding spot on the ropes as Durham started to increase their run rate.
Cameron Steel miscued a hook against Coles to hole out to mid-wicket, then Clark, after reaching an 81-ball 50, was bowled around his legs by Shah.
In the quest for quicker runs Ryan Pringle was stumped off the bowling of Joe Denly and Stuart Poynter holed out to deep square leg to gift Yasir Shah his second scalp of the innings.
Paul Collingwood upped the tempo further with a 49-ball, unbeaten 50 that took his side to 271 for six before his declaration with 10 overs remaining in the day.
Durham’s rookie quick bowler Barry McCarthy was allowed to keep the match ball after his career-best, six wicket haul.
He said: “With Kent eight down overnight it might have been easy for us to take our foot off the gas and think the job was done. We know Sam Northeast is a seriously good cricket and that Yasir Shah had been a thorn in our sides, but thankfully is didn’t take us too long to take their last two wickets and to get back out there with the bat. Kent are a very good side, they will look to dig in there and we’ll have to put in a very good performance on that pitch to take all 10 wickets in a day.”
Kent’s head coach Matt Walker, said his side have their pride to play for on the final day.
“Our aim today was to try and get early breakthroughs when Durham decided to bat again. We managed that but didn’t really capitalise when a catch went down and a couple of shouts didn’t go our way.”
“They batted on to put the game way out of our reach, but we’ve been behind throughout the game and can’t really complain. We now have the chance to bat all day tomorrow to try and salvage a draw.”
“It wasn’t what we envisaged or hoped for coming into this, but the equation is simple, we need to bat three sessions if we’re to bank a few points for a draw.”