KENT’S march on the championship title started to gather momentum on day two of their Canterbury Week match with basement side Glamorgan.

Having posted a record innings of 587, David Fulton’s title chasers reduced the Welsh to 236 for nine to trail by 351.

The only stubborn resistance from the visiting side came from former Warwickshire left-hander David Hemp, who survived chances on 26 and 96 to finish unbeaten on a season’s best 134.

Other than Hemp it had been plain sailing for the championship leaders who took wickets almost at will after the lunch break.

Amjad Khan started the rout with a stint of three for 42 down the Nackington Road slope.

Dan Cherry (0) played outside the line to lose off stump, Jon Hughes (1) nicked to slip and later David Harrison was caught on the crease to go leg before.

Simon Cook also enjoyed a loose-limbed stint from the Pavilion End having Mark Wallace caught at point and then Michael Powell leg before to an off-cutter.

Andrew Hall, Darren Stevens, Min Patel and Justin Kemp chipped in with a wicket apiece, but the two dropped chances to Hemp eventually cost Kent dearly as the visitors, despite the odds, batted though to second day stumps.

The highlight of the morning session was a Kent record sixth-wicket stand worth 267 inside 63 overs between Darren Stevens and Andrew Hall who both hit career-bests in English domestic cricket.

The pair beat Kent’s previous best against the Welsh of 221 by Dickie Mayes and Brian Edrich scored at Gravesend in 1952.

Stevens was the major partner, hitting his maiden double hundred from 281 balls and with 30 boundaries.

He celebrated with a swept six off Robert Croft into the CAMRA real ale marquee but, in trying to repeat the shot next ball, skied a catch to Alex Wharf running round from mid-off to mid-on to make it 500 for six.

Without addition to the score Niall O’Brien top edged an attempted paddle sweep to Croft at short fine-leg.

Hall moved on to his best score in England, 133 from 201 balls with 16 fours, before he checked an off drive against Cosker to offer a diving return catch that the bowler accepted at full stretch to his left.

A quick fire 32-ball 50 from Min Patel and some free hitting from Simon Cook took Kent to their best score of the season and their best ever against Glamorgan, beating their 568 set at Sophia Gardens earlier this season.

The innings fell away after lunch as Kent lost their last two wickets in five balls, but even so, the hosts were enjoying Festival Week.

SCOREBOARD

Kent first innings

D P Fulton c Wallace b Waters 15
R W T Key b Wharf 35
M van Jaarsveld b Wharf 41
M J Walker b Harrison 11
D I Stevens c Wharf b Croft 208
J Kemp lbw b Cosker 39
A J Hall c&b Cosker 133
N J O’Brien c Croft b Cosker 0
M M Patel c Hemp b Harrison 64
S J Cook c Hughes b Harrison 13
A Khan not out 0
Extras 28

Total 587 all out in 135.5 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-46, 2-64, 3-99, 4-132, 5-233, 6-500, 7-500, 8-537, 9-587.

Bowling: Harrison 24.5-4-125-3, Wharf 24-5-93-2, Waters 18-1-83-1, Croft 39-5-160-1, Cosker 30-5-123-3.

Glamorgan first innings

D D Cherry b Khan 0
M A Wallace c Walker b Cook 0
D L Hemp not out
J Hughes c Kemp b Khan 1
M J Powell lbw b Cook 23
M P O’Shea lbw b Khan 0
A G Wharf c Stevens b Patel 21
R D B Croft b Kemp 2
D S Harrison lbw b Khan 4
D A Cosker b Stevens 18
H T Waters not out 9
Extras 24

Total 236 for nine after 65 overs.

Fall of wicket: 1-2, 2-2, 3-17, 4-62, 5-63, 6-115, 7-127, 8-139, 9-188.

Bowling: Khan 12-058-3, Cook 11-4-33-2, Hall 10-2-33-1, Stevens 7-0-32-1, Patel 15-3-41-1, Kemp 9-1-33-1, van Jaarsveld 1-1-0-0.