Six of the best for Henry as Glos follow on
New Zealand paceman Matt Henry took his haul to 43 wickets in the Specsavers County Championship this summer as Kent enforced the follow-on against Gloucestershire.
Henry overcame dogged resistance from the hosts’ middle-order to return 6/58 to secure maximum bowling bonus points at Bristol.
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A century stand by Graeme van Buuren (83) and Kieran Noema-Barnett (73*) add 104 for the seventh wicket in 42 overs.
Resuming their first innings on 44-4 in reply to Kent’s mammoth 582, Gloucestershire promptly lost Taylor to a poor shot for 33, the vice captain driving loosely at a wide delivery from Henry and dragging the ball onto his stumps. And 58-5 soon became 82-6 as Henry summoned unplayable late swing to bowl Higgins through the gate for nine.
Graeme van Buuren and Kieran Noema-Barnett registered half centuries to inspire a recovery of sorts, but Gloucestershire must score 342 when following on to avoid an innings defeat.
Henry bowled Jack Taylor and Ryan Higgins in the morning session to reduce the hosts to 82-6, only for van Buuren and Noema-Barnett to add 104 for the seventh wicket in 42 overs.
But Gloucestershire were undone by the advent of the new ball, Henry having van Buuren caught in the slips for 83 and then removing tail-enders Craig Miles and George Drissell with successive deliveries.
Matt Taylor survived the hat-trick ball, only to be caught behind off Joe Denly, leaving Noema-Barnett unbeaten on 73.
Harry Podmore hobbled off with a leg injury as Kent aim to bowl out the hosts on the final day for a fourth successive Championship win.
Kent head coach Matt Walker was full of praise for leading wicket-taker Matt Henry, describing him as a “dream professional both on and off the field.”
He said: “We’ve struck gold with our overseas player this year and we’d love to have him back for the second half of the season, providing New Zealand are okay with that.
“To bowl like he did and open things up for us so many times on a pitch that offered so little to the bowlers was fantastic. He’s been brilliant for us both on and off the field.
“I thought the lads battled hard and gave it everything throughout the day. It’s going to be hard to take ten wickets on the final day, but we’ve given ourselves a chance.
“All the pressure will be on Gloucestershire on the final day and, if we can get one or two out early on, then you never know.”
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