Kent’s opening County Championship game of the season against Worcestershire continued to be an even affair on day two at New Road.

Kent made 229 from their first innings – a lead of five runs, although Worcester were able to see out 17 overs before the close without loss, meaning they will start day three 36 runs ahead.

Daniel Bell-Drummond and Ben Harmison both determined half-centuries for Kent, keeping them in the game in what is likely to now be a “one-innings match”, where the side who can post the higher total in their final innings will win. Bell-Drummond made an attractive 61, while Harmison batted for more than four hours for his 55.

The fact that six of the wickets in Kent’s innings were given out lbw goes to show that there were plenty of deliveries keeping low, with the pitch tougher to bat on than it had been on day one. Having been 127-3 at one stage, Kent may be slightly disappointed that their first innings lead was only five runs, but credit too to the Worcestershire bowlers who bowled extremely economically and tidily.

Resuming on 39-2, 185 runs behind Worcestershire Daniel Bell-Drummond and Brendan Nash started the day slowly, before former West Indian international Nash was the first of the day to fall. He was surprised by a shorter delivery from Jack Shantry that reared up off the pitch, taking the glove as he was caught in the slips for just three from 37 balls.

This brought Harmison and Bell-Drummond together in the middle, and the pair again had to dig in, with the pitch proving somewhat more difficult to play on and score off than it had on the opening day.

The pair stuck at it, however, and Bell-Drummond continued his fine form of pre-season by bringing up his seventh First Class fifty shortly before the break, taking 124 balls to do so, as the pair saw their side through to lunch on 106-3.

The steady progress continued after lunch, before Kent lost three wickets for 54 runs at one stage during the afternoon session.

Bell-Drummond was trapped lbw by Moeen Ali as he attempted to sweep – a shot he had struggled to play cleanly all day, though the 20-year-old had made a well-constructed and eye-catching 61 by this point; an important knock for his side, who had been in trouble at 46-3 when Nash had fallen earlier in the day.

Bell-Drummond’s wicket fell with the score on 127, having put on 81 with Harmison, who was now joined in the middle by Darren Stevens. Having looked in excellent touch, Stevens was also given out lbw to Ali, having made 23 from 41 balls, including five boundaries. Wicket-keeper Sam Billings, selected ahead of Geraint Jones for Kent’s opening fixture of the Championship season, made 13 before he too was out lbw, this time to Gareth Andrew, with the visitors reaching tea on 187-6, still trailing Worcestershire by 37.

As the day entered its final session, Ben Harmison finally brought up his half-century; his patient and gritty knock coming from 192 balls.

James Tredwell made 15 before being bowled by Andrew, before Mitch Claydon joined his former Durham teammate Harmison in the middle.

Harmison’s 228-ball stay at the crease was finally ended with Kent just one run behind Worcestershire, as he was well caught by Ali, also off the bowling of Andrew. Robbie Joseph came to the crease and hit his first ball to the boundary, putting Kent ahead, before also falling later in the over, giving Andrew his fourth wicket of the innings.

Claydon was the last man out, bowled for 15 by Ali, giving Kent a first innings lead of five runs.

Kent would have hoped to have been able to pick up at least a wicket or two in the 17 overs left before the close of play, but Worcestershire captain Daryl Mitchell (22) and Matt Pardoe (18) were able to see their side through to the close without too many alarms.

Kent will be on the hunt for early wickets in the morning as they look to dismiss the home side as cheaply as possible and give themselves the best chance of starting their Championship season with a win.

 

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

Worcestershire 224 (Kervezee 54, Joseph 3-43) and 41-0 lead Kent 229 (Bell-Drummond 61, Harmison 55; Andrew 4-42) by 36 runs with 10 wickets in hand

 

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 4, Kent 4

 

Full scorecard available here.

 

New Road picture supplied by Dan Webster.

Ben Harmison picture supplied by www.sarahansellphotography.com.