Kent v Lancashire day two

KENT continued to play second fiddle as hosts Lancashire called the tune on another rain-affected day at Old Trafford.

The red rose county are in total command of this game at the mid-way point, having posted 451 for five declared built around a magnificent, unbeaten 156 from Australian Test batsman Brad Hodge.

He may only be 5ft 8ins, but the right-hander from Victoria hit the ball with immense power throughout his stay on his way to a 132-ball hundred - his first in championship cricket for a year.

Rain delayed the start until 1.45pm with the loss of another 33 overs, but when it did start this was a day when things soon turned sour for Rob Key's side despite having seemingly made a dream start by removing opener Iain Sutcliffe in the first over of the day.

Without addition to his overnight score of 57 the left-hander pushed at Ryan McLaren's third ball of the day and nicked the lifting leg-cutter to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.

Hodge had reached 16 when, in attempting to drive through the covers against McLaren, he got a thick edge that flew hard to point where Darren Stevens downed a difficult chance, Kent's fourth miss of the game.

At the other end, Mal Loye was looking to push the score on but, having reached 75, the former Northamptonshire bat perished to his trademark slog-sweep against the quick bowlers.

Loye tried to dispatch a full-length ball from Andrew Hall but got a thick top edge and Jones, sprinting round from behind the stumps, took a fine running catch when heading toward square-leg.

Hodge was given a second life on 74 when, after backing in attempting to slash a short one from James Tredwell through to off-side, he edged hard to slip where Martin van Jaarsveld threw up his hands only for the ball to slip through at pace.

Hodge went to three-figures with a sweep off Tredwell as he and fellow Aussie Stuart Law added 137 inside 30 overs for the fourth wicket.

The pair seemed unstoppable, indeed Kent were only able to bowl nine maidens in the entire 112-over innings, so in charge were the home side.

Their fun came to an end just before tea when Law, in trying to hit Joe Denly's leg-spinners for a straight six, simply offered a throat-high chance that the young Kent player snaffled to clinch his first championship wicket for the season and only the second if his fledgling career.

Tom Smith went soon after the resumption, stumped by Jones after darting down the pitch to Tredwell, but Hodge then teamed up with Dominic Cork to up the run-rate further.

Hodge hit a straight six off Tredwell then Cork lifted a massive six off Stevens as they added a quick-fire 74 in 13 overs before Law declared at 5.50pm, leaving Kent to survive nine overs through to the close.

Spin wizard Muralitharan was introduced from the Stretford End after only six overs, but Denly played out his first over and Key the second to take their side into Sunday with all wickets intact.

SCORECARD

I J Sutcliffe c Jones b McLaren 57
P J Horton lbw b Cook 29
M B Loye c Jones b Hall 75
B J Hodge not out 156
S G Law c &b Denly 58
T C Smith st Jones b Tredwell 8
D G Cork not out 40
Extras 28
Total 451 for five declared after 112 overs.

Fall of wicket: 1-71, 2-165, 3-217, 4-354, 5-377.

Bowling: Arafat 18-3-65-0, Hall 18-0-100-1, Cook 16-1-46-1, McLaren 15-1-61-1, Tredwell 31-4-103-1, Stevens 6-0-32-0, Denly 8-0-34-1.

Kent first innings

J L Denly not out 6
R W T Key not out 7
Extras 1

Total 14 without loss after nine overs

Bowling: Anderson 3-1-6-0, Cork 4-2-6-0, Muralitharan 2-1-1-0.

Bonus points: Lancashire 5pts Kent 1pt.