Jones leads Kent’s fightback

Kent v Glamorgan LV County Championship Division 2, Canterbury day 3.
Kent 361-3 after 81 overs (G O Jones 133, van Jaarsveld 174*) and 282 all out (Parnell 90, Shantry 3-54) lead Glamorgan 307 all out (Dalrymple 79, Powell 65, Tredwell 3-54) by 336 runs.
By Mark Pennell
KENT made up for lost time and the loss of couple of early wickets to put Glamorgan to the sword on a rain-interrupted day in Canterbury where both Geraint Jones and Martin van Jaarsveld blasted chanceless centuries to lead their side into an impressive 336-run lead.
Having lost openers Rob Key (13) and Sam Northeast (15) in the first four overs of the day, that after rain delayed the start until 1.45pm for the loss of 25 overs, the third-wicket pair came together with the game hanging in the balance.
With their side two wickets down for 41, three when you consider that broken finger victim Darren Stevens will not bat again in the match, Jones and van Jaarsveld rattled along at over 4.8 runs an over in adding 309 in 66 overs – a Kent record for any wicket against Glamorgan beating 303 by Arthur Phebey and Bob Wilson, the latter watched from the Colin Cowdrey Stand as his record from Blackheath in 1960 fell.
Jones and van Jaarsveld, who both failed to trouble the scorers in the first innings, hardly played a false shot on a sublime St Lawrence pitch as Jones posted his second ton of the season in 134 balls while van Jaarsveld needed three more deliveries.
Once past 108 Jones bettered his career-best scored at Chelmsford in 2003 while van Jaarsveld, after four hours at the crease, has power to add to his 19 fours and a six from his 208-ball innings of 174 not out – his season“s best.
Visiting captain Jamie Dalrymple rang the bowling changes without success until, three overs from the close; Jones leant back on the drive against David Harrison to pick Dalrymple out at cover.
Van Jaarsveld and James Hockley continued through to stumps with Kent now in a commanding position, yet that hardly looked to be the case when play started late after early morning rain.
Northeast fell to the sixth ball of the day from Robert Croft, stumped as the off-spinner came on to help his side“s pacemen switch ends. Then, three overs later, Key edged an expansive back-foot force to the keeper off the bowling of left-arm seamer Adam Shantry.