Kent v Lancashire Day two

Robbie Joseph’s transition from a county fringe player into a first choice spearhead strike bowler continued to gather momentum at St Lawrence on Thursday when the 26-year-old bagged 5-34 to help dismiss Lancashire for 125.

Joseph’s haul, coupled with a worthy 4-26 return by Martin Saggers, helped dismiss the visitors inside 37 overs and establish a first innings lead of 158.

Though sufficient to enforce the follow-on, Kent skipper Rob Key elected to bat again and by the close and the mid-point of the game Kent had reached 145-1 after 42 overs, an overall lead of 303.

Their advantage owed much to an unbroken second-wicket stand worth 139 between Joe Denly (63) and Neil Dexter (69).

The pair came together when Key was given out caught behind, seemingly off his arm, for four, and they both went on to post half-centuries.

Dexter marked his birthday with an 80-ball half-century with 10 fours, while Denly reached the landmark from 85 balls and with seven fours as Kent strengthened their position in the game.

Responding just after noon to Kent's first innings 283 all out, the red rose county lost opener Paul Horton to the first ball of their innings when he chopped an off-cutter from Joseph onto his middle stump. It was Horton's first duck in 64 first-class innings.

In his next over Joseph had May Loye (2) caught throat-high at first slip by James Tredwell after Loye edged a loose, back-foot force.

Khan then got in on the act by trapping Mark Chilton (1) leg before when he shouldered arms to an off-cutter.

Then, seven wickets fell in the 27-over mid-session as Lancashire added 117 runs.

The rout started five overs after lunch when Francois du Plessis nicked a drive against Joseph to Darren Stevens at third slip to go for 10.

Four overs later Luke Sutton (4) prodded indeterminately at another quick ball from Joseph and edged to Tredwell at slip.

Joseph then made it five when he trapped Steve Croft (13) leg before when he padded up to an in-ducker.

Saggers then waded in with the last four wickets to fall including a spell of 3-3 in nine balls, as Kent polished off the innings within 165 minutes.

Stuart Law (4), batting at No8 because of back spasms, edged a fine away swinger to the keeper then Dominic Cork (0) planted his front leg and tried to play around it only to go leg before.

Gary Keedy clipped off his legs in hoping to build on his three runs, but Ryan McLaren was well placed to take the catch and make it 79-9.

Lancashire saved their best until last with a 10th wicket stand worth 46 in 4.3 overs between Sajid Mahmood (33) and Glen Chapple (44 not out).

Their fun ended only nine runs short of the follow on figure when Mahmood sliced to second slip where Martin van Jaarsveld took a sharp catch by his right shoulder.

Earlier Geraint Jones posted 106, his first century of the summer, to steer Kent to a respectable 283 all out on what appears to be a dry, two-paced pitch.

Three overs into day two Kent lost Khan for 16 to end an eighth-wicket stand worth 44 in 16 overs in tandem with Jones.

Khan, playing forward but late to a Chapple off-cutter, went leg before with Kent still four runs short of a second batting bonus point.

Joseph came in at No10 to help Jones post the 250 and was still there when Jones reached his first century in 13 months and his first against Lancashire.

The former England keeper reached three figures with a single tucked off his legs against Cork, it was his seventh in first-class cricket, his sixth for Kent and fourth at St Lawrence.

However, the over ended with the dismissal of Joseph (16) who nicked a leg-cutter to first slip where Horton took a good low catch.

Jones was only two short of equaling his career best when he misjudged a Chapple off-cutter and went leg before after shouldering arms. He lasted 4hrs 19mins, faced 197 balls and hit 14 fours.

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