Park century adds to Kent’s woes in Derby

Derbyshire v Kent LV County Championship Division 2, Day three. Derby
By Mark Pennell
DERBYSHIRE continued to rub salt into Kentish wounds on day three of this top-of-the-table clash as the hosts went in at tea on 444 for two for an overall lead of 163.
The East Midlands county lost one wicket in each of Friday“s first two sessions as Kent“s weakened seam attack toiled without much reward at the Old Racecourse Ground.
Australian-born opening bat Chris Rogers was the only casualty of the mid-session, finally going for 208 having secured a much-deserved double hundred from 274 balls with 26 fours and a six.
He went soon after celebrating the milestone, trapped leg before by a full-length in-ducker from Amjad Khan – the first ball of his new spell from the Old Grandstand End.
That ended a second wicket stand with Garry Park that added 125 in 28 overs and left centre stage free from Park to go on and score his maiden hundred for Derbyshire off 170 balls and with 12 fours.
He reached three figures somewhat fortunately with a top-edged pull off Simon Cook that just eluded Sam Northeast at deep square leg to go to the boundary.
The hosts cantered along at four-an-over throughout the morning session and, in the process, Rogers reached his 1,000 runs for the season.
Kent“s first success came the 10th over of the day when, with only his third ball of the morning, Amjad Khan ran one away from Wayne Madsen (75) and brushed the outside edge to give Geraint Jones a regulation catch behind the stumps to end an opening stand worth 216 in 62 overs.
The stand ranked equal ninth in Derbyshire“s list of highest opening partnerships in Championship history and was their biggest in nine years.
Without five potential first-choice seamers in Wayne Parnell, Ryan McLaren, Azhar Mahmood, Robbie Joseph and Martin Saggers, Kent“s attentions will now hope to save this game and move on to next week“s clash with Middlesex in Uxbridge with their healthy league leadership intact.
Photo by AR Pics