The Match History: Kent v Essex, LV= CC

Way back in May, the rain affected match at Chelmsford ended in stalemate after an early second innings collapse by Essex, who, trailing by 84 runs, gave Kent hopes of a sensational victory. The hosts recovered from 24-5 to 166-5 thanks to captain Jamie Foster (52*) and Ben Foakes (86*). After a shaky start to their first innings, Kent recovered well wiith a fifth wicket stand of 145. Darren Stevens was the pick of the batsmen, scoring 136 out of 296 in Kent’s only innings.

180 matches have been played, the first being in 1898 at Tonbridge. Essex have appeared on eleven grounds in the County: 16 times at Tunbridge Wells and 21 at Canterbury. In the away fixtures Leyton has seen most matches with 30 and Chelmsford 21. These keenly fought local derbies have produced some exciting matches with Kent coming out on top 66 times and Essex on 46 occasions.

It was at one of these matches, at Brentwood in 1934, that Kent achieved its record score of 803-4d. In that innings Bill Ashdown scored 334 (the first of his two triple hundreds for the County) whilst Leslie Ames scored an undefeated double hundred and Frank Woolley 172. Four years later there was a great personal triumph for Arthur Fagg when at Colchester he became the first cricketer to score two double hundreds in a match: 244 in the first innings and 202 not out in the second. He is still the only batsman to have achieved this feat. His second innings score also established, with Peter Sunnucks, the highest opening partnership in Essex v Kent matches.

The highest Essex innings score (616) was achived at Chelmsford in 1988. That also recorded the highest aggregate runs scored, 1570 for the loss of 22 wickets. The lowest aggregate was in 1966 at Westcliffe when 32 wicketswent down for a meagre 292 runs. Both of the lowest innings totals were in matches north of the Thames. At Southend in 1925 when Kent was dismissed for 43. Even lower was the Essex score of just 34 at Brentwood in 1969. In that innings the popular Norman Graham achieved his best bowling performance, taking 8-20 in 10 overs.

Wally Hardinge, with 3374 runs for Kent against Essex, has been the County’s most prolific run scorer. He has also scored the most centuries (11). P.A. Perrin holds this distinction for Essex with 3036 runs and 11 centuries.

“Tich” Freeman, originally on the Essex staff but rejected apparently because of his height, is by far the most outstanding bowler. He recorded his career best innings bowling at Southend in 1930 taking 10-53. A further six wickets in the match gave him 16-94, the best by a Kent bowler. It is Freeman who has taken most wickets in these matches, 269 in total. This compares with the Essex performance of M.S. Nicholls whose tally was 112.

David Robertson