Tredwell takes season’s best but Somerset bat on for a draw

Kent v Somerset LV County Championship Division 1, Day four

By Mark Pennell in Canterbury

Kent’s Canterbury Cricket Week clash with Somserset ended as a dour draw after the visitors decided to bat throughout the final day much to the chagrin of home supporters.
Against part-time bowling and an attacking field, Somerset refused to set the hosts a target and churned on to reach a second innings total of 387 for seven to ensure stalemate when the teams shook hands on a draw.
Visiting captain Marcus Trescothick endured verbal abuse from a Spartan last day crowd for his stance to bat throughout the final day and collect 10 points for the draw.
The former England left-hander ended unbeaten on 188 after seven-and-a-half hours at the crease, his best championship score since 2007, but the visitors did themselves few favours with the home support who were calling for ‘batting power-plays“.
Somerset started the day on 138 for three, an overall lead in the match of 146, but any hopes of a run-chase or a positive result were nigh-on dead by lunch time.
Kent struck in the third over of the day when James Tredwell plucked out the off stump of James Hildreth (32) as he attempted to sweep.
Trescothick posted his second hundred of the summer with only nine fours and from 251 balls as he and Craig Kieswetter posted 100 for the fifth wicket.
Kieswetter then chipped back a chest-high catch to Tredwell to give the off-spinner season’s best figures of five for 95, yet it proved the last meaningful action of the game.
Home skipper Rob Key, made his views clear on the situation when he brought himself on to bowl to take the wickets of Peter Trego (37) and Ben Phillips (14) caught at mid-off and mid-on respectively as Kent ended the game with Joe Denly keeping wicket and Geraint Jones bowling.
Both teams will bank 10 points from the match, but the biggest round of applause on the final day came when two Kent supporters exchanged their vows during a marriage ceremony in the Colin Cowdrey Stand.