Kent v Somerset

An heroic career-best innings of 149 by Whitstable's Joe Denly could not prevent Kent from slipping to a tense 20-run defeat to Somerset at Tunbridge Wells.

The stylish opener reduced Kent's target to 27 as they went into lunch on 244-9, but he perished 11 balls after the interval, leg before to a Charl Willoughby in-ducker to send Somerset home with 18 points while Kent banked only five.

At one point Kent had appeared dead and buried, reduced to 176-9 after an astonishing burst of 4-2 in 10 balls by Somerset seamer Steffan Jones.

All that after Kent had looked in decent shape to seal a second successive championship win and seventh victory on the bounce in all competitions.

Denly was a touch fortunate to snick his first boundary of the day through the slip cordon off the excellent, probing left-arm seam of Willoughby, while Geraint Jones also posted his first four of the day through third man off an open-face against Ben Phillips.

The sixth-wicket pair settled down thereafter and took eight off the first over of the day from Steffan Jones, including a square drive for four from Geraint Jones and a back-foot force for three by Denly. But Jones soon got his revenge, and how!

He inspired Somerset's first breakthrough of the day after 43 minutes by dismissing his namesake Geraint for 26 to end a gritty partnership that added 46 in 16 overs.

Attempting a back-foot punch through the covers against an 'effort ball' that bounced more than he expected, Jones could only find a thick outside edge that flew to Marcus Trescothick at second slip.

Four balls later, and with 101 still needed, Jones the bowler was celebrating again when he plucked out Ryan McLaren's off stump with one that nipped back through the left-hander's gate to send him packing for only one.

In his next over from the Pavilion End Jones removed Yasir Arafat (1) to another sharp catch in the cordon by Trescothick then Robbie Joseph clipped his second ball to mid-wicket where Peter Trego accepted the simple catch to leave Kent in tatters at 176-9.

Opening bat Denly trying his utmost to see Kent home posted his first ton of the summer and his fifth for the county by straight driving Charl Willoughby for six. He reached three figures in 241 minutes, from 178 balls and also hit 15 boundaries.

With Martin Saggers offering stoic support with nine runs from 48 balls, Denly then took another straight six off Jones to go to his career-best score, beating his unbeaten 115 against Hampshire at St Lawrence last summer. But, when Willoughby returned after lunch, it was all to be in a losing cause.

Kent return to Tunbridge Wells on Monday when they take on Middlesex in their final Friends Provident Trophy qualifier from noon.