Kent v Durham

KENT suffered a disappointing first morning to their final game of the summer by losing for wickets to championship-chasing Durham as a grey and cold St Lawrence.

Showers delayed the start of the game for an hour and despite overcast skies home skipper Rob Key elected to bat first having won the toss.

He was soon regretting the decision, however, as Durham's experienced seam attack tucked in to claim four wickets inside 17 overs as Kent went in to lunch on 50 for four in a game that Durham must win to stand any chance of winning the championship pennant.

Having got off the mark with a rasping drive for four through cover point, Joe Denly was first out when driving at a Graham Onions off cutter that moved down the Nackington Road slope to pluck out the right-hander's leg stump.

In the next over and having faced only two balls, Key (3) pushed at an Ottis Gibson leg-cutter to edge to second slip where Michael Di Venuto claimed the first of three catches.

Kent's experienced No4 Matt Walker, having been dropped at short-leg when on seven, perished just four balls later to the same bowler Mark Davies after edging a push drive low to second slip.

Needing 29 to reach his 1,000 first-class runs for the summer Martin van Jaarsveld moved smoothly to 25 only to receive a lifting, brute of a ball from Mark Davies that he could only fence to Di Venuto, again at second slip.

That brought together Neil Dexter and 17-year-old championship debutant Sam Northeast together for a tricky 10 minute period through to the interval.

Dexter played and missed to reach six, while Northeast got off the mark with a crisp, clip through mid-wicket for four off Davies that posted his maiden first-class runs and Kent's 50.

Scorecard

Kent first innings
R W T Key c Di Venuto bv Gibson 3
J L Denly b Onions 4
M van Jaarsveld c Di Venuto b Davies 25
M J Walker c Di Venuto b Davies 7
N J Dexter not out 6
S A Northeast not out 4
Extras 1

Total 50 for four after 19 overs.

Fall of wicket: 1-7, 2-9, 3-27, 4-46.

Bowling: Gibson, Onions, Davies, Plunkett.