Kent wrap up tense win over Derbyshire to boost promotion bid

Kent v Derbyshire LV County Championship Division 2, Day four, Canterbury.
Kent 19 pts, Derbyshire 6 pts.
By Mark Pennell
KENT secured their first championship win over Derbyshire in Canterbury since 1993 and extended their lead in the championship second division after chasing down a last day total of 318 to win by three wickets and with 19 balls to spare.
Having taken Derbyshire“s last six wickets for 67 runs in the morning session in order to set up the pursuit, Kent made the worst possible start by losing in-from opener Joe Denly (3) in the second over when he dragged the ball onto his leg stump when attempting to drive against Steffan Jones.
His opening partner Rob Key then teamed up with Geraint Jones to add 175 in 46 overs, with both going on to post their third centuries of the championship summer; Key“s from 125 balls with 14 fours while Jones took 178 balls and hit seven fours and two sixes.
The stand ended soon after tea when Key holed out to Dan Redfern at long off against the left-arm spin of Graham Wagg to make it 182 for two.
Undaunted, Jones combined with Martin van Jaarsveld to post a further 83 in 12 overs for the third wicket and take Kent within 49 of their target before Jones also skied to the deep. During his stay Jones passed 5,000 first-class career runs while van Jaarsveld reached the 15,000 milestone.
Six balls after celebrating his ton and without addition to his score Jones was caught at deep mid-wicket from a miscued pull off the bowling of Tim Groenewald and departed with the score on 269 for three.
Only 40 more were required from the last 10 overs when Martin van Jaarsveld, fresh from penning a new three-year contract extension, also holed out to long on having chipped in with 51 from 47 balls.
Justin Kemp was soon undone by turn and bounce from the occasional off-spin of Dan Redfern to be caught behind without scoring, then Darren Stevens (29) was yorked on the boot by Groenewald with Kent only a dozen short.
With the scores level Ryan McLaren (5) toe ended a pull to mid wicket leaving James Tredwell and Wayne Parnell to see Kent home with a scrambled bye for their fifth win of the campaign.
Kent had started their second innings at 12.25 having mopped up Derbyshire“s last six wickets inside 80 minutes.
With Simon Cook and McLaren carrying slight knocks and unable to bowl, skipper Key turned to Kemp to open his attack at the start of the day and it proved an inspired choice as Kemp took three for 12 in five overs to double his season“s wicket-tally.
He bowled Wavell Hinds (16) with the second ball of the day when the West Indian shouldered arms to an off-cutter, then had Freddie Klokker (6) caught behind from one that lifted outside off stump.
Greg Smith (44) then chased one from Parnell to edge to the Kent keeper Jones and Tredwell got in on the act when he got the new ball to bounce on Graham Wagg for substitute fielder Chris Piesley to take a diving, bat-pad catch at short leg.
Kemp took his third wicket when Groenewald nicked a drive to become Jones“s fourth victim of the innings and Tredwell wrapped it up by having Jones caught low down at silly point by Stevens.

Photo by ARPIcs