SOME 11 wickets fell in the day but Kent’s final away trip of the summer looks likely to end in a championship draw after Warwickshire avoided following on at Edgbaston.

After the loss of Thursday due to rain, Kent went on to post maximum batting bonus points in reaching 421 and appeared in command after reducing the hosts to 15 for three in reply.

But it was then that Kent’s lengthy injury-list and the absence of both their overseas players really started to tell as Warwickshire’s middle order cashed in.

The Bears ended the day on 304 for seven, to trail by 117 going into the final day after half-centuries from Tim Ambrose, Heath Streak, Jonathan Trott and Nick Knight led to the status quo.

It would take a

Monumental effort from Kent’s patched up attack to force the victory from this situation, but they can at least be proud of their efforts in the second city today.

Simon Cook, bowling with a little more zip now he is nearer to full fitness, was the pick of their bowlers but spinners Min Patel and James Tredwell gave good support and took vital wickets.

It was Cook who made the first breakthrough from the City end, having Ian Westwood superbly held in the gully one-handed by Patel.

Joseph then snared Mark Wagh leg before with and off-cutter then Moeen Ali drove loosely to nick to Martin van Jaarsveld at second slip, again off Cook.

The hosts re-built through former skipper Knight, who is playing his final game for the county, and Trott who added 112 in 28 overs for the fourth wicket.

In the process Trott became the first Warwickshire batsman this summer to pass the 1,000 championship run landmark.

The partnership ended after lunch when Knight padded up to Patel only for the ball to loop up, hit his glove and fly to Matthew Walker at silly point.

It leaves Knight 15 shy of the aggregate number of runs he needs to retire with a Warwickshire career average of 50.

Trott, having hit 12 boundaries, looked nailed on to become the first century-maker of the game until he lazily clipped a dipping ball from Tredwell to mid-on.

To the first ball after Tea Alex Loudon paid the price for a pre-ordained sweep to go leg before top Patel bringing together Ambrose and Heath for another pivotal stand of 97 in 22 that took the hosts past the follow-on figure.

Ambrose, dropped on 12 when Darren Stevens downed a low chance at mid-wicket, was only 23 short of three figures when he too played a lazy shot.

In attempting a back-foot force off Cook he edged to the dependable van Jaarsveld who pocketed his 33rd catch of the summer.

Four overs from stumps Cook saw Neil Carter hook him for six over long-leg but he had his man later in the over when Carter picked out Stevens at deep mid-wicket to give the former Middlesex seamer his fourth scalp for 72 runs conceded.

Earlier, Kent’s tail wagged for an extra 16 overs in adding a further 49 runs.

Cook hit 28 and Tredwell 21, but there seemed little point to it all once they passed 400, but Patel chipped in with a bright 25 before being last man out to Naqaash Tahir. He finished with a flattering three for 98, while Carter deserved his four for 130 marginally more.

SCORECARD

Kent first innings

J L Denly c Tahir b Carter 86
R W T Key lbw b Carter 25
M van Jaarsveld c Ambrose b Tahir 79
M J Walker lbw b Loudon 19
D I Stevens c & b Streak 61
G O Jones c Ambrose b Cater 50
N J Dexter b Tahir 0
J C Tredwell c Ambrose b Carter 21
S J Cook c Trott b Streak 28
M M Patel c Loudon b Tahir 25
R H Joseph not out 4

Extras 22

Total 421 all out after 119.5 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-56, 2-188, 3-209, 4-249, 5-306, 6-318, 7-358, 8-371, 9-399

Bowling: Tahir 20.5-1-98-3, Streak 30-6-84-2, Carter 32-5-130-4, Harris 22-4-52-0, Loudon 13-0-37-1, Ali 2-1-8-0.

Warwickshire first innings

I J Westwood c Patel b Cook 0
M A Wagh lbw b Joseph 3
M M Ali c van Jaarsveld b Cook 7
I J L Trott c Cook b Tredwell 75
N V Knight c Walker b Patel 52
A G R Loudon lbw b Patel 3
T R Ambrose c van Jaarsveld b Cook77
H H Streak not out 54
N M Carter c Stevens b Cook 13
Naqaash Tahir not out 4

Extras 16

Total 304 for eight after 87 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-1, 2-5, 3-15, 4-127, 5-163, 6-178, 7-275, 8-297

Bowling: Cook 17-2-72-4, Joseph 15-1-64-1, Stevens 3-1-18-0, Tredwell 28-6-73-1, Patel 18-2-55-2, Denly 6-0-19-0.

Bonus points: Warwickshire 6pts, Kent 7pts.