Kent’s bowlers hit back in the second session at sun-drenched Tunbridge Wells

Kent v Nottinghamshire LV= County Championship Division 1, Tunbridge Wells.
By Mark Pennell
Kent“s bowlers hit back with five wickets in the mid-session at Tunbridge Wells where visitors Nottinghamshire went in at tea on 276 for six.
Three overs after lunch Mark Wagh (44) flashed at a widish, full delivery from Simon Cook to be caught at the wicket then Alex Hales, in attempting to work to leg against the wrist spin of Malinga Bandara, found a leading edge to spoon a return catch to the bowler and go five short of a deserved ton.
In the next over, Steve Mullaney (1) chased outside off stump against Cook to be caught behind and, after a fifth-wicket stand of 69, former Surrey batsman Ali Brown (39) appeared well set when, in attempting to cut to third man against off-spinner James Tredwell, he edged behind to give Geraint Jones his fourth catch of the day.
Then, just before tea Aussie David Hussey, who only landed in the UK on Wednesday, posted a 68-ball 50 before his attempted lap sweep against Bandara pegged back leg stump via a bottom edge.
Having lost the toss on a bright morning Kent“s new ball attack of Matt Coles, from the Railway End, and with Amjad Khan at the Pavilion End, generally struggled for control of line and length in their opening stints.
As a result Nottinghamshire, having elected to bat first, got off to their best start of the season as Hales and Samit Patel, opening for the first time this summer, posted 42 inside seven overs.
Patel“s fun came to an abrupt end with his score on 10 and the total on 43 when he chased a wide ball from Cook and edged to the tumbling Geraint Jones.
Having posted an impressive 55-ball half-century from 11 balls Hales should have gone for 53 when he charged down the pitch to the fourth ball of the day from James Tredwell aiming to hit over long-on, but he skied to mid-on only to see Joe Denly lose the ball in the sun and get only one hand on a running chance.
Mark Wagh might have been stumped for 31 when, after another rush of blood, might have been stumped off Bandara but the ball clipped his pad to elude Geraint Jones and go for four leg byes allowing Hales and Wagh to post their hundred stand before lunch .