Key hundred boosts Kent’s victory bid

Kent v Derbyshire LV County Championship Division 2, Day four, Canterbury.
By Mark Pennell
KENT“S outside hopes of pulling off a shock last day win over Derbyshire increased when they batted throughout the mid-session without losing a wicket courtesy of an unbroken second-wicket stand between Rob Key and Geraint Jones.
The pair have added 163 thus far with Key contributing 101, his third century of the summer coming from 125 balls with 14 fours, while Jones chipped in with 62 including a 101-ball 50, which took him past 5,000 runs for his first class career.
By tea the pair had helped guide Kent on to 170 for one from 45 overs in pursuit of a target of 318 from a minimum of 74 overs.
Kent“s only casualty was opener Joe Denly who was unfortunate to go for three in the second over of the reply when the right-hander edged an attempted drive against Steffan Jones onto his leg stump to make it seven for one.
Kent had started their second innings at 12.25 having used up a further 19 overs in taking Derbyshire“s six remaining second innings wickets as the visitors added a meagre 67 to their overnight total.
With Simon Cook and Ryan McLaren carrying slight knocks and unable to bowl, skipper Rob Key turned to Justin 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 Wayne Parnell to edge to the Kent keeper Geraint Jones and James 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 Tim Groenewald nicked a drive to become Jones“s fourth victim of the innings and Tredwell wrapped it up by having Steffan Jones caught low down at silly point by Darren Stevens.

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