Stevens stars in Kent draw

Darren Stevens extended his purple patch with a second century of the summer that helped steer Kent to a draw with Glamorgan at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence.

On an easing Canterbury pitch Stevens made hay to post a 134-ball ton with 17 fours and a brace of sixes to help the hosts bat through the final day and stave off a Glamorgan win, with the sides shaking hands on the draw at 4.50pm.

Following on and in trouble on their overnight total of 254 for four – a slender match lead of 11 – Stevens joined forces with Ben Harmison to add 163 for the fifth wicket, frustrating the visitors for much of the opening session.

Stevens, the former Leicestershire batsman, cantered to 50 off 73 balls with eight fours, while Harmison, who joined Kent from Durham last year, took a little while longer to reach the landmark from 90 deliveries.

Their partnership was ended by a spectacular piece of fielding by Michael Hogan. After a Stevens push drive to deep extra cover, Harmison turned for a second run only to be run out for a Kent-best 64 by a direct hit to the non-striker's end.

Stevens and Geraint Jones added 44 during which the former reached a deserved hundred at an impressive strike rate of 82.16 per 100 balls faced.

His fun ended, as did hopes of a Kent declaration, when he missed an attempted sweep against Dean Cosker to be bowled around his legs for 119. Stevens did, however, leave to an ovation.

Jones (15) went soon after when he drove outside the line of a Michael Reed leg cutter to lose his leg stump and make it 401 for seven.

Reed finished with two for 95, but Cosker was clearly the pick of the Welsh attack with a return of five for 120.

With only a 158-run lead, Kent still needed time to bat after tea to prevent a late afternoon run-chase in pursuit of victory by Glamorgan.

Patient knocks by on-loan Mitchell Claydon (40), Calum Haggett (17), coupled with a robust and career-best equalling 19 not out from last man Charlie Shreck, ensured the status quo.

Glamorgan travelled home with nine points while Kent banked five.

Click here for the ECB scorecard

Photo: Sarah Ansell