Hildreth and Suppiah put Kent to the sword at St Lawrence

Kent v Somerset LV= County Championship Division One, Day One, at Canterbury.

By Mark Pennell

After Kent had enjoyed the opening session to Canterbury Cricket Week, so visitors Somerset bossed the second stint through to tea after posting unbeaten centuries through fourth-wicket partners James Hildreth and Arul Suppiah.
Having come together at 59 for three, the stroke-making right-handers joined forces to take their side through to 243 for three at the break courtesy of an unbroken stand that has added 184 thus far.
Hildreth was first to his century, from 129 balls and with 15 fours, when he swept a Malinga Bandara full toss for a single.
Three balls later, Malaysian Suppiah waltzed down the pitch aiming a lofted straight drive off the same bowler, only to miscue his mow through square leg for a single that took him to three-figures from 184 balls and with 14 fours and a six.
Having named an unchanged side to the line up that beat Essex on Sunday, Kent were made to bowl first on a warm morning after Rob Key lost the toss.
However, it was the home side who were soon celebrating with the wicket of former England opener and Somerset captain Marcus Trescothick to the 13th ball of the day from Azhar Mahmood.
Fencing in defence at one that held its line up the slope, Trescothick (5) edged low to third slip where Darren Stevens held a sharp low chance to make it six for one.
Mahmood gave way at the Pavilion End after a stint of 7-3-23-1 to Simon Cook who struck with his first delivery of the day by removing Zander de Bruyn for 23.
The Dutch right-hander“s airy drive away from the body resulted in the ball brushing the outside edge on its way through to Geraint Jones. De Bruyn practiced an altogether straighter shot, the one he should have played, before marching off with the score on 50 for two.
He was replaced by the promising Jos Butler who, having failed to get off the mark after 14 minutes at the crease, played down late on an Amjad Khan yorker that got through to feather off stump and make is 59 for three.
Hildreth had reached nine when he enjoyed a life. Driving hard at Khan he got a thick edge to fourth slip only to see Azhar Mahmood drop a stinging opportunity at fourth slip.