Kent were 287 for five after day two of their LV= Insurance County Championship game with Northamptonshire at Canterbury, trailing by 16 with five first innings wickets remaining. 

Hefty partnerships of 91 between Joe Denly and Ben Compton and then exactly 100 between Jack Leaning and Jordan Cox helped Kent close in on Northamptonshire’s first innings score of 303.  

Cox was unbeaten on 63 at stumps, while Denly and Leaning also both made 63. 

Jack White had the visitors’ best bowling figures with two for 40. 

Having dismissed Northamptonshire with the final delivery on day one, for a total they felt was around 150 to 200 below par, Kent were confident going into the second day, but any hopes that Zak Crawley might find some form after his struggles with England were dashed in the fourth over, when he was out for five, chipping White to Luke Procter at mid-wicket. 

Daniel Bell-Drummond had looked comfortable, but when he nicked Jimmy Neesham to Emilio Gay at second slip for 17 Kent were wobbling on 30 for two. 

Ben Compton and Denly responded with a stand of 91 for the third wicket. It was a partnership of contrasting styles, with the former England player Denly’s innings initially seeming like it could end at any second, while the possible future-England player Compton’s felt like it might never end at all.  

Denly was nearly out first ball, but his shot just eluded mid-wicket, while Compton took 85 minutes to reach double-figures. 

Kent were 74 for two at lunch, after which Denly looked significantly happier. He reached 50 by cracking successive Neesham deliveries for four and six and it was Compton who went first, caught at first slip by Neesham for 34 after edging White. 

Denly followed soon after, clipping Procter straight to Emilio Gay at midwicket and juggling his bat in frustration as he walked off, leaving Kent on 136 for four. 

Leaning and Jordan Cox took the hosts to 181 for four at tea, after which the latter survived a strong run out appeal following a direct hit from Ryan Rickelton. Leaning passed 50 when he pulled Rob Keogh for four to the deep-midwicket boundary but after completing their century stand he fell to the new ball when he was caught behind off Ban Sanderson. 

Although the wicket temporarily slowed the scoring rate, Cox reached his half-century by swatting a short-pitched ball from Neesham for a single and Sam Billings played some elegant shots on his way to an unbeaten 24 at stumps, the duo completing the third fifty partnership of the innings in the final over. 

Kent’s Joe Denly said: “We’re in a pretty strong position, obviously tomorrow morning’s going to be big for us if we can get through that opening period with the two set batters. Hopefully they can kick on and we can put them under pressure in the second innings. 

“It was nice to get some partnerships going, but it would have been nice to kick on and make them even bigger. Myself and Jack getting to 50 and then getting out was disappointing. On a fairly decent wicket you’d like to captialise on those starts, but like I said we’ve got two quality batters at the crease in Jordan Cox and Sam Billings, so hopefully there’s a big score from one or both of them. 

“When you lose the toss, to bowl a team out for 300 on a good batting wicket was a fantastic effort. Now the challenge is to go on and bat big, get a lead and put their batters under pressure.” 

Northamptonshire’s Chris Liddle said: “I think credit to the bowlers, we’ve ran in, we’ve hit the wicket hard and the spinners have done a great job of controlling the scoreboard. I think if we’d had a bit of luck with catches and nicks that could have carried things could have been slightly different, but we’re sitting here with them 287 for five and not far off our total, so we’re a bit disappointed they’re as close as they are. With a bit of luck it could have been slightly different, but I can’t knock the effort shown today. 

“It’s criminal to lose eight wickets for a hundred runs on a wicket we thought was a pretty good wicket. It’s certainly starting to show a bit of up and down and it’s a bit two-paced. I think it’s only going to get harder as the game unfolds, so hopefully it won’t cost us too much. 

“Jack White has been quality for us every time he’s put the shirt on this summer, he’s gone out there and he’s performed well today. Hopefully that’ll continue, he’s got clarity in his game and he’s comfortable being at first-class level and he’s starting to get results.”