Match Report: Day One, Kent v Derbyshire LV= CC
Tuesday 4th September 2012
Kent were bowled out for 261 on the opening day of their LV= County Championship clash with Derbyshire at the St Lawrence Ground.
Former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones marked his 100th consecutive Championship appearance for Kent by top-scoring 80, with the visitors 32 for one at stumps.
In seemingly ideal conditions for batting, it came as no surprise when skipper Rob Key won the toss and elected to do just that, but Kent’s top order faced a stern examination in an opening session that brought 61 runs.
Key was first to go, caught in one glove by wicketkeeper Tom Poynton off the lively pace of Mark Turner before Tim Groenewald, the pick of the attack with three for 63, trapped Alex Blake leg before with an off-cutter.
Having faced 86 balls for his 37, Sam Northeast went needlessly before lunch, wafting a catch to cover point then, 17 balls after the interval, Brendan Nash fell lbw to a Groenewald inswinger.
Darren Stevens became Poynton’s second victim behind the stumps when he nicked a drive off Tony Palladino, leaving Jones to join forces with Mike Powell, his former club cricket team-mate at Abergavenny, to add 46.
Powell looked untroubled in reaching 37 until he followed Northeast’s lead by slapping a wide one into the hands of Groenewald at cover point.
Jones posted his sixth half-century of the summer from 82 balls and forged useful partnerships with Matt Coles and Mark Davies, the latter pulling the only six of the Kent innings off a Palladino bouncer.
Jones’ ninth four brought up the Kent 250 for their second batting bonus point before he was caught by first slip Wes Durston having seen the ball parried by Usman Khawaja at second slip.
All out for 261, Kent had 11 overs to bowl before close of play, during which they managed to prise out Khawaja without scoring, leg before when seemingly well down the pitch to Davies.
Madsen remained with 21, but it remains to be seen if regular opener Paul Borrington is fit to bat on day two. He went off with a fractured nose, the legacy of trying to stop a late-afternoon drive by Davies at extra cover.
Photo: Sarah Ansell SarahCanterbury.com