Northants v Kent: Late strikes from Coles lead fightback
A late flurry of wickets led by Matt Coles gave Kent hope in a see-saw contest with Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.
Kent bounced back from being dismissed for 140 to reduce Northamptonshire to 193 for 7 by stumps thanks to 4/62 from Matt Coles, who took his tally to 42 wickets in the LV= County Championship this season.
Northants look in control of the contest in mid-afternoon with Alex Wakely (50) and Rob Keogh (68) adding 70 runs for the third wicket before Keogh edged Matt Coles to Adam Ball at third slip with eight overs remaining in the day.
That was the first of three wickets in successive overs for Coles who finished with figures of 4 for 62, with Adam Rossington and nightwatchman Olly Stone joining Keogh in the pavilion.
JoshCobb departed in Mitchell Claydon's last over of the day to leave the home side 53 in front with three first-innings wickets left. This see-saw day leaves the remaining two days impossible to predict.
Earlier in the day, Kent seemed well placed at 93 for 2 with Rob Key and Sam Northeast well set after the early loss of openers Joe Denly and Daniel Bell-Drummond.
Previously the model of consistency this season, Northeast was unsure whether to leave or play at Rory Kleinveldt outside the off stump and ending up edging to wicketkeeper Adam Rossington for 36.
Darren Stevens was LBW to the very next ball and three deliveries later, Key was bowled for 35, playing all around one from Azharullah.
Tredwell's dismissal – bowled Azharullah for 0 – on the stroke of lunch, meant that four wickets had fallen in a remarkable 19 ball spell and Kent were 97 for 6.
Forty-four balls after lunch, Kent were all out and although Azharullah (5 for 31) and Kleinveldt (5 for 41) bowled well to produce the home side's two best bowling figures of the season.