Kent chase 200 in 38 overs after Khan finally ends Surrey resistance

Kent v Surrey LV County Championship Division 2, Day four. Canterbury.
By Mark Pennell
Kent were made to toil for Surrey“s last four remaining wickets as the visitors finally succumbed for 293 after 101.5 overs by 3.15pm and the tea interval setting Kent a last afternoon run chase of 200 in the 38 remaining overs of the match.
Surrey lost only two wickets in the morning session, that of Chris Schofield for a battling 36 then Jade Dernbach who chipped in with 16 in a dour 68-minute stay.
Pushing inside the line of one from Amjad Khan, the left-handed Schofield had the top of off stump grazed by one that appeared to seam down the St Lawrence slope to make it 163 for six.
Key rang the bowling changes using five bowlers in all and off-spinner James Tredwell from both ends, but seventh wicket partners Stuart Meaker and Dernbach refused to be budged in adding 45 in 19 overs.
It took a lifting delivery from Justin Kemp to finally dislodge Dernbach, unable to keep the ball down it flew off the splice of the bat to Darren Stevens who pocketed a simple catch at backward point.
With Mark Ramprakash unable to bat with a broken thumb, Kent needed two more Surrey wickets after lunch but they were made to work hard for their successes.
Stuart Meaker (64*) and Tim Linley added a useful 67 in 28 overs for the eighth wicket before Linley, on a county best 36, prodded away from his body at one from Khan to edge to James Tredwell at third slip.
Last man Pedro Collins (12) then spliced an ugly slog to leg to Key at mid-off to force an early tea interval and leave Kent to chase at a rate of 5.26 an over thereafter.
Khan finished with three for 49, James Tredwell three for 72 and Phil Edwards a creditable two for 52.