Kent v Durham

Kent lost five wickets for 16 runs inside eight horrific overs as their slide toward Division 2 of the LV County Championship appeared to gather momentum in Canterbury.

The hosts reached 190-9 when bad light stopped play for the day after 52 overs - still 10 short of a first batting bonus point.

Knowing they needed at least a draw and a haul of nine or so points from this game against title-chasing Durham to stave off relegation, Kent appear to have gone into this vital game on a seamer-friendly pitch that suits the visiting attack down to a tee.

Opener Joe Denly went to the third ball of the game from England paceman Steve Harmison. Having missed the first two deliveries, he was adjudged to have gloved the third through to keeper Phil Mustard.

After a successful stint at No.3 in Liverpool last week, Geraint Jones was again promoted up the order and scored a brisk 25 from 35 balls with five boundaries before he fell when padding up to the second ball of the day from seamer Mark Davies.

In the first over after lunch, Martin van Jaarsveld (12) got a leading edge to Shivnarine Chanderpaul at mid-off to bring together Rob Key and Darren Stevens for a counter-attacking stand of 60 in 16 overs.

The pair went for their shots until Stevens (41) was trapped leg before by Ben Harmison.

Key, having reached an 86-ball 50, then went for 58 from 100 balls when he nicked Steve Harmison to Mustard.

Ryan McLaren fell without scoring when he snicked a drive against Ben Harmison to the tumbling keeper then Justin Kemp’s poor run continued as he fell leg before for five.

The collapse continued when Yasir Arafat cut to gully to go for five as Steve Harmison bagged 3-2 in 10 balls.

Then, just before the early close, Robbie Joseph (19) was caught behind off Callum Thorp.

Kent: Denly, Key, Jones, van Jaarsveld, Stevens, Kemp, McLaren, Tredwell, Arafat, Joseph, Saggers.

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