Denly leads Kent to strong postion

Joe Denly registered his third Specsavers County Championship hundred of the season as Kent finished day one of the clash against Derbyshire in strong position at The 3aaa County Ground.

Denly top-scored with 106, while opener Zak Crawley (96) and Heino Kuhn (51) both hit half-centuries as Kent finished on 365-6 and with four bonus batting points.

Tony Palladino (2-63) and former Kent paceman Hardus Viljoen (2-68) both took two wickets apiece for the hosts.

Kent won the toss and batted before losing opener Sean Dickson cheaply in the third over.

That proved to be the joy for the hosts in the first session as Denly and Crawley took the score to 133-1 at lunch.

Crawley fell just short of a maiden first-class century when he was lbw to Palladino after hitting 1 fours and three sixes in his career-best knock.

It was again the only wicket to fall in the session, with Kent 259-2 at tea.

Palladino removed Kuhn shortly after passing his half-century, before Viljoen finally dismissed Denly, who faced 215 balls for his 106 which included 12 fours.

Alex Hughes (1-34) and Lockie Ferguson (1-66) then both picked up a wicket each in the closing stages of the day before Daniel Bell-Drummond, who batted at five (41)  and Grant Stewart (14) saw Kent through to stumps.

Crawley said: “It was a good day for Kent, we are in a good position to get another batting point tomorrow and try and push on 450 which would be a good score.

“I was very disappointed with not getting a hundred but after about five minutes I realised I played well and as I always say to myself, I would have taken that at the start.

“It’s been tough this year with some of the pitches we’ve played on so to get on a good wicket like this and make a few runs was very nice.”