Relegation-threatened Kent trail Somerset (404-4) at Taunton in County Championship Division 1 despite another rain-shortened day
Published: 17:30, 21 September 2023
Updated: 18:00, 21 September 2023
Injury-hit Kent’s bowling attack were saved from the full force of a savage Tom Kohler-Cadmore attack by more rain on the third day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match against Somerset at Taunton on Thursday.
Uncapped Kohler-Cadmore, 29, has been summoned to take part in England’s One-Day International Series against Ireland at the conclusion of the game - and celebrated in style.
He smashed eight sixes in scoring 68 from just 31 balls as the home side extended their first-innings total to 404-4 before the elements intervened again.
Lewis Goldsworthy marked his first Championship appearance of the season with 122, his second first-class century, and Andy Umeed contributed 49 to a Somerset run blitz that saw them add 190 to their overnight 214-2 in an extended morning comprising 32.4 overs.
But it was Kohler-Cadmore’s onslaught which did most to shatter the morale of a Kent side battling relegation and without Michael Hogan, who was added to their lengthy injury list on the first day.
Coming in at 310-3, the former Yorkshire player hit his second ball for six and went on to reach fifty off 27 deliveries.
After a second day washout, play began in more sedate fashion with Goldsworthy looking to build on his overnight score of 70 after a frustrating season in which his only previous first-team cricket had come in the One-Day Cup.
Having left out their specialist spinners and seen 42-year-old Hogan limp off after bowling only 11.2 overs in the innings, Kent again proved powerless to capitalise on a green pitch.
There was an extraordinary incident with the total on 245-2 and Goldsworthy on 79. He jammed down on a yorker from Jas Singh (1-95) and saw part of the toe of his bat fly off and dislodge a bail – before dismay over a bizarre dismissal turned to relief at the umpire’s call of no-ball.
Umeed, like his partner looking to lay down a marker for next season, blossomed from a watchful start. He hit two fours in an over from Daniel Bell-Drummond (1-54), before a leg-glanced boundary off the same bowler took Goldsworthy to his hundred off 177 balls with 12 fours.
Umeed cleared the ropes over wide long-on off Jack Leaning (1-34) and was one short of a half-century when Kent’s skipper took revenge with his off-breaks, wicketkeeper Harry Finch accepting a thin edge.
Kohler-Cadmore made his intentions clear from the start, lofting Leaning over long-off. He cleared the ropes seven more times, including twice in a Joe Denly (0-24) over and three times in an over from Arafat Bhuiyan (1-87), losing the second new ball by blasting it into and beyond a car park.
Kent had delayed taking it but were forced to do so when two extra overs of spin from Leaning and Denly saw Somerset add 29 runs.
The second over with the new cherry saw Kohler-Cadmore hit six, four, six, six, off successive Bhuiyan deliveries and, together with four byes and a leg-bye, it cost 27.
The second of those maximums took Kohler-Cadmore to a memorable half-century, which pressed his case to be more than a spectator when joining England’s squad this weekend.
Goldsworthy had been wisely content to play a supporting role and an attempt at a bigger shot proved his downfall, caught at cover by Leaning off Singh, having faced 203 balls and batted for four-and-a half-hours.
Kent were then presented with the sight of James Rew, the highest scorer in County Championship Division 1 this season, walking to the crease. He had added three runs to his tally, taking it to 1,080, by the time lunch was taken at 12.40pm.
Rain began falling and became heavier in the interval.
It continued for much of the afternoon and umpires Tom Lungley and Martin Saggers abandoned play for the day at 4.50pm, with Kent having secured one bonus point in their battle for Division 1 survival.
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KentOnline reporter