Stevens takes 5/40 as Kent build big lead

Saturday 27th May 2017

Darren Stevens grabbed his fourth five-wicket haul of the summer as Kent dismissed Sussex before building a 321-run lead on day two in the Specsavers County Championship match at Tunbridge Wells.

The 41-year-old claimed 5/40 in a 17-over spell from the Pavilion end as the visitors were all out for 164 before Kent openers Daniel Bell-Drummond (68*) and Sean Dickson (42*) shared an unbroken 116-run stand to extend the lead in the final session.

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Sussex lost their last six wickets for 86 runs during a frenetic mid-session with Stevens supported well by James Harris claimed (3/37), James Tredwell (1/4) and Matt Coles (1/51) as the visitors were shot out inside 50 overs to concede a first innings lead of 205.

Earlier in the day, Adam Rouse (44) and Matt Coles (15*) helped earn Kent a fourth batting bonus point before the seamers earned Kent a considerable lead before the openers consolidated the hosts’ superiority before the close.

In the 35-over final session, Bell-Drummond passed 4,000 first class career runs with his first Championship fifty of 2017 after an excellent One-Day Cup campaign with the bat.

Stevens’ 16th five-wicket haul in first class cricket means the veteran all-rounder has 29 Championship wickets this season at an average of 12.08.

Kent’s Darren Stevens said: “It felt good bowling with the breeze at my back for a change.

“I usually bowl at the bottom end here [Railway End] but Sam Northeast gave me the choice and it worked well. The ball has been coming out well all year so I’ve not had to change anything from pre-season.

“It’s all about beating the bat by putting the ball in the areas you want. We have game plans to every player we play against and I find it satisfying when those plans come off.

“I’d got 17 overs in my legs, but when we came off at tea I thought we maybe should have put them in again.

“We had a 200-run lead and they were on the back foot, but they had a big game against Durham that only ended Tuesday and we’re making them spend more time in the field. So let’s put 450 on the board and go back at them again.”

Scorecard