Jones hits fifth century of the season as Kent fight back in Derby

Derbyshire v Kent LV County Championship Division 2, Day one. Derby
By Mark Pennell at the Old Racecourse Ground
GERAINT JONES continued his run-spree summer with his fifth championship ton of the season and his second against Derbyshire as Kent recovered from a sticky start to reach 232 for five after 64 overs under cloudy skies at the Old Racecourse ground.
At tea, Jones had posted an unbeaten 107, while young left-hander Alex Blake chipped in with an unbeaten 30 in a useful unbroken partnership of 74 – Kent“s highest of the day.
Rain arrived during the break, however, and looked set in for the day to frustrate players and supporters alike in this top-of-the-table battle.
Jones, who reached 1,000 championship runs for the season during his three-and-a-half hour say, hit 12 fours and a straight six to reach his 50 and then went on to reach three figures from a further 75 deliveries.
He reached both milestones against the bowling of left-armer Graham Wagg, the 50 with a straight six after Wagg reverted to his occasional spinners, then with Wagg in seam-up mode Jones glanced for four to fine leg to reach three figures.
Blake, who hit 80 in a NatWest Pro40 win against Derbyshire at Chesterfield last month, again looked comfortable against the East Midlands county in scoring a fluent 30 not out with five fours.
The visitors lost three wickets in the opening session after being invited to bat first at the earlier September start time of 10.30am.
Sam Northeast (7) was first to go, miscuing an attempted pull shot against Tom Lungley he spooned a simple catch to Wavell Hinds at square leg to make it 34 for one.
Five overs later Rob Key played across the line of a Steffan Jones leg-cutter to go leg before for 30 off 43 balls then right-armer Jones, who started the season on loan with Kent, set a trap that Martin van Jaarsveld obligingly jumped into.
With just one man back on the ropes at deep-square leg van Jaarsveld miscued a pull shot to a slow-ball bouncer and picked out Hinds to leave Kent in trouble on 68 for three.
After the break Kent continued to give up their wickets cheaply when Darren Stevens, dropped behind when on 14, flat-batted a Lungley long-hop to deep cover to go for 16 then Justin Kemp (19) nibbled a Jones leg-cutter to edge to the wicketkeeper.
Kent named an unchanged side to that that which beat Surrey by six wickets on Monday to remain top of the division after seven wins.
Photo by ARPIcs