Stevens strikes after Glamorgan resistance to set up final day chase
Tuesday 3rd May 2016
Darren Stevens took four wickets after centuries from David Lloyd and Graham Wagg restored Welsh pride on day three of the Specsavers County Championship match in Canterbury.
Lloyd hit his maiden championship hundred and Wagg – a thorn in Kentish sides on his last three appearances here – hit 106 to help Glamorgan to an impressive second innings total of 414.
Kent reached 22 without loss in the six overs through to stumps and need a further 165 on the fourth and final day to land their first victory of the season.
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Trailing by 212 overnight, the visitors made the most of ideal batting conditions and were soon celebrating a Will Bragg half-century from 68 balls as he and James Kettleborough added 78 for the second wicket.
But Bragg then dragged one from Hugh Bernard on to off stump and Kettleborough (42) edged a defensive push against Mitch Claydon to the keeper.
Two more Welsh wickets fell in the mid-session; Cooke fencing a short one from Matt Coles high to Tom Latham at second slip, who then snaffled a tumbling chance to his right that accounted for Aneurin Donald (38) against the same bowler.
That bought together Lloyd and Wagg for a potentially game-changing stand.
The visiting pair went on to set a new record sixth-wicket stand for matches between Glamorgan and Kent of 215 in 38.2 overs – beating an unbroken 206 set by Jim Pressdee and Alan Rees at The Mote in Maidstone in 1964.
Wagg reached three figures, taking a ball more than Lloyd to do so, but both fell in quick succession once Kent took the second new ball.
Lloyd edged a pull though to the keeper against Claydon, Craig Meschede shouldered arms to be bowled by Stevens without scoring then Wagg, working to leg against a straight one, departed lbw to Stevens to make it 377 for eight.
Stevens, who finished with four for 79, had Andrew Salter (19) snaffled in the cordon by Latham, who looks an excellent slip fielder, leaving Coles to have last man Michael Hogan caught behind to an eighth catch in the match by Adam Rouse.