Kent v Glamorgan: Haggett career-best bowling in dramatic draw
Wednesday 13th May 2015
Gritty Glamorgan batted throughout the final day despite a career-best haul from Calum Haggett to salvage a draw in the LV= County Championship at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence.
Set to chase an improbable 404 to win, the visitors lost eight wickets on the fourth day to clinch a fourth draw in as many games with just one wicket remaining.
Matt Coles and Haggett gave it their all but Kent were unable to blast through the Welsh county's tail and the hosts were made to settle for 12 points as the visitors reached 309 for nine for a 10-point return.
They had three heroes in nightwatchman Dean Cosker, Graham Wagg and then number 10 David Lloyd, who batted 89 minutes for an unbeaten 43 to complete Glamorgan's great escape.
Kent encountered their first major stumbling block in the shape of Cosker, sent in as makeshift number three on the third evening. Playing in his 246th first-class game, the 37-year-old veteran's four-hour vigil for a career-best 69, set the determined tone for the final day.
Glamorgan, resuming on their overnight total of 32 for one, lost opening batsman James Kettleborough in the seventh over for 20. Playing back and across the line to a Darren Stevens in-ducker, the right hander was trapped leg before.
Will Bragg perished in similar fashion five overs later when he played across a full length ball from Coles to depart without scoring to make it 50 for three.
Cosker and Colin Ingram combined either side of lunch to add 87 for the fourth wicket until Ingram, the ball after posting his 77-ball half-century, nicked a good delivery from Ivan Thomas to slip to go for 51.
Nine overs later Sam Northeast held a juggled chance at mid-off to account for Chris Cooke (11) then Cosker's 183-ball stay ended when he played across a near yorker-length ball from Haggett to make it 194 for six at tea.
Kent claimed the second new ball 10 overs after the resumption to account for Mark Wallace (29), who was undone by the pace of Coles and trapped leg before to a very full length delivery before Craig Meschede had his stumps rearranged by Haggett.
A counter-attacking 65-ball 50 by Wagg extended Glamorgan's resolve into the final hour of the match but, after 136 minutes at the crease, the right-hander was caught off balance by another near yorker to depart lbw and give Haggett career-best figures of four for 61.
Coles might have finished the job in the next over, only for Darren Stevens to spill a catch at second slip off Lloyd's outside edge.
Kent circled the bat in the final overs but last man Hogan combined with Lloyd to see out the final 32 minutes and salvage a draw.
Kent all-rounder Calum Haggett, who claimed career-best figures of 4/61, said: "I thought we bowled well as a unit today. Colesy gave it everything bowling at the top and it's mixed emotions for me as I'm happy to play and take four wickets but to come so close is disappointing for the boys.
"There's still a lot of postivity in the dressing room so we'll be looking to bounce back in the NatWest T20 Blast here on Friday and then on to Bristol to play Gloucestershire next week."