Kent’s season started with a heavy defeat as they lost their last seven wickets inside a session on the final day against Worcestershire.

Kent resumed the day on 51-3, having lost their top order cheaply on the third evening, and knew that it would be a tough effort for them to get anywhere near their required total of 226.

As it was, they never got close, losing wickets at regular intervals throughout the morning, before Doug Bollinger was the final man out shortly before 1pm, his side losing by the hefty margin of 125 runs.

Brendan Nash and Ben Harmison started the morning together at the crease; their side still requiring another 215 runs to secure the unlikely victory.

Harmison fell with just six runs added to the overnight total; one of a number of Kent batsmen trapped lbw by a delivery that kept lower than expected; Jack Shantry the bowler on this occasion.

In fact, 12 of Kent’s 20 dismissals in the match were lbw – the highest number they have ever had for a First Class game, on a pitch where the visiting batsmen in particular were never able to overcome the low-bounce problem.

After Harmison’s dismissal, Brendan Nash (28) was caught behind chasing a wider delivery and Darren Stevens (27) was excellently pouched by Shaaiq Choudhry at mid-wicket, off the bowling of Shantry and Gareth Andrew respectively.

James Tredwell came and went for just a single, before Sam Billings was lbw for 12, both off the bowling of Charlie Morris, who then trapped Claydon (11) leg before, too, leaving Kent 131-9 and the home side just one wicket away from victory.

Former Worcestershire man Doug Bollinger joined Robbie Joseph at the crease, and both men prolonged the inevitable for a while and even managed to find the odd boundary, before Andrew bowled Bollinger for 9, leaving Kent 140 all out.

Kent will hope for a much better result when the welcome Leicestershire to The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence for their first home Championship match of the season, starting this Sunday (20 April).

 

CLOSE, day four: Worcestershire vs. Kent, LV= County Championship Division Two, New Road, Worcester, 13-16 April 2014:

 

Worcestershire 224 (Kervezee 54, Joseph 3-43) and 270 (Cox 89, Bollinger 5-43) beat Kent 229 (Bell-Drummond 61, Harmison 55, Andrew 4-42) and 140 (Andrew 4-43) by 125 runs.

 

Worcestershire: Mitchell*, Pardoe, Ali, Kohler-Cadmore, Kervezee, Whiteley, Cox†, Andrew, Choudhry, Shantry, Morris.

Kent: Northeast, Key*, Bell-Drummond, Nash, Harmison, Stevens, Billings†, Tredwell, Claydon, Joseph, Bollinger.

Worcestershire won the toss and elected to bat.

Bonus points: Worcestershire 20, Kent 4

 

Full scorecard available here.