LV= CC Hampshire v Kent – day one match report

LV= County Championship Day One
Hampshire v Kent
July 5 to July 8 2010
Rose Bowl, Southampton

Kent first innings
251 all out, 80.2 overs
Denly 67, Northeast 50, Blake 31
Cork 5-50, Briggs 2-26, Balcombe 2-67

Hampshire first innings
51 for two, 13.0 overs
Carberry 22*, Dawson 6, Tomlinson 2*

By Sam Dixon

Two late wickets kept Kent in touch on Day One of their LV= CC match against struggling Hampshire at the Rose Bowl after a mid-afternoon collapse meant Rob Key’s men were bowled out for just 251 after deciding to bat first.
New ball duo Robbie Joseph and Amjad Khan (pictured), playing together for the first time this season, both struck in the evening session to leave the home side on 51 for two going into the second day. Earlier on, Kent failed to capitalise on half centuries from Joe Denly and Sam Northeast as they lost five wickets for just 19 runs, to fall to 191-8 before a late scramble saw them up to 251.

Honours were even in the morning session as the top four all made starts but, apart from Denly, nobody went on to make a real big contribution. Veteran Dominic Cork took the first of his five when he caught and bowled Key for 17 before Geraint Jones was caught behind for 11 off the bowling of all-rounder Sean Ervine. Vice captain Martin van Jaarsveld followed for 17 when he popped a return catch to spinner Danny Briggs. At the luncheon interval the visitors were 114 for three as Northeast joined Denly at the crease.

The pair patiently rebuilt the innings as Denly reached his milestone off 102 balls but, with the partnership on 74, the opener offered another catch to Nic Pothas behind the stumps off David Balcombe and he fell for 67. Kent were still looking solid on 172-4 until the collapse took its toll. Northeast went to his fifty, off 107 balls, before immediately falling to Balcombe and then James Hockley followed for a 12-ball duck – bowled by Cork. The procession of wickets continued when Sri Lankan all-rounder Malinga Bandara nicked Cork to Pothas. The temporary slump was then complete when Simon Cook was bowled by Cork for two.

Brief respite was provided by Alex Blake and Khan as they put on 36 for the ninth wicket before left-hander Blake became a second victim for Briggs when he was dismissed for 31. The final wicket pairing of Khan (21) and Joseph (7*) took the total to 251 before Cork wrapped up the innings and secured his five-wicket haul.

Quick bowler Khan then set about getting Kent back on track with the ball as he struck in his first over when he dismissed the dangerous Jimmy Adams for a golden duck with Northeast taking the catch. Joseph himself then got in on the act when he had Liam Dawson caught in the slips by van Jaarsveld for six to leave Hampshire reeling on 24 for two.

Former-Kent batsman Michael Carberry saw out any more danger, alongside nightwatchman James Tomlinson. He will start day two unbeaten on 22 with Hampshire 51 for two after a hard-fought day’s cricket at the Rose Bowl on the opening day.