Kent spinners force Hampshire follow-on despite Ervine century
Wednesday 17th September 2014
Kent forced Hampshire to follow-on despite first-innings resistance from Zimbabwean Sean Ervine and opener Will Smith in the second innings at Southampton.
The visitors bowled out promotion-chasing Hampshire for 351 with Ervine's 121 in a stand of 98 with last man James Tomlinson almost preventing the follow-on.
Sam Billings stumped the 31-year-old off James Tredwell attempting his fifth six, as the hosts fell just seven runs short of making Kent bat again but helped earn his side four LV= Championship batting bonus points.
Batting again, Hampshire reached 110 for one with a patient Will Smith surviving the evening session on 66 not out alongside Liam Dawson on 28.
Tredwell, who took 4 for 102 in the first innings on his return to Championship action for Kent, claimed the only wicket in the second innings – trapping home captain Jimmy Adams LBW for 6.
If, as seems likely, Hampshire are able to fashion a draw on a wicket taking some spin, they will go into the final fixture of the season at Glamorgan ten points ahead of third-placed Essex who face a show-down with leaders Worcestershire.
Hampshire started at 127 for three and needed a commanding innings from their leading run-scorer James Vince to stand any chance of overhauling Kent’s biggest total of the season. They did not get it.
Vince had added only six to his overnight 64 when he was caught by Billings off Tredwell pushing forward and Hampshire’s middle order struggled against spinners Tredwell and Adam Riley, who finished with 3 for 124.
Tredwell and Riley bowled almost 65 overs between them in marathon stints but they had plenty of rewards in the shape of a regular supply of wickets.
Adam Wheater made a brisk 30 before top-edging a sweep off Tredwell to Darren Stevens in the slips at 179 and Riley claimed his first wicket of the day when England under 19 left-hander Tom Alsop gave a return catch from a leading edge.
Alsop, making his debut, had batted patiently for his 33 which included a straight-driven six off Riley but his departure at 205 was the prelude to three more quick dismissals.
Chris Wood was leg before to Tredwell at 212 and former Kent pace bowler Matt Coles was brilliantly taken one-handed by wicketkeeper Billings off Mitchell Claydon 13 runs later.
When Imran Tahir drove Riley to Robert Key at short extra cover at 253, the end seemed imminent.
But then Ervine led the recovery in a belligerent innings which included 12 fours and four sixes, three of them off Riley and the other off Tredwell, as Hampshire edged towards their target of avoiding the follow-on.
Just when it seemed they would succeed Ervine went down the wicket to the 173rd ball he received and was stumped comfortably. Ervine flung his bat skywards in disappointment.
Tredwell was soon back in action as Hampshire came out a second time and was soon among the wickets, dismissing the opposition captain, Jimmy Adams leg before for six when the score was 20.
At this point Will Smith and Liam Dawson came together and at the close were still together, Smith 66 not out during which he reached 1,000 for the season, and Dawson unbeaten with 28.
Tredwell said: "You will not get many better hundreds in those circumstances than the one Ervine got. As Tomlinson showed, there are not many roll-over number elevens in county cricket these days.
‘’The last wicket stand got them what might prove to be crucial batting points. The wicket is still good though taking a bit of turn, so bowling on it was hard work.
‘’If we can get early wickets we can get amongst them but Hampshire might set us a target, which could be interesting.’’
Ervine said: "This century is right up there with the best I have scored. If we go up it will be pleasing to think that it may have been as a result of those bonus points we got here.
"Imran Tahir and Tommo were a great support to me because I needed them to stay there.
‘’I had to take a few risks and skied a few shots but luckily they landed in the gaps. I was just annoyed at getting out in the way I did with only a few runs needed, but that is the way it goes.’’