Kent v Surrey

KENT'S historic Canterbury Cricket Week evaporated into a two-day debacle as relegation-threatened Surrey pulled off a four-wicket win at St Lawrence.

Played out on a grassy, two-paced pitch that transformed this crucial game into something of a lottery, it was Surrey's attack who blossomed as Kent succumbed for 150 and then 171, leaving the visitors to knock off the 107 needed for victory, albeit for the loss of six wickets; as 36 wickets fell inside two days.

In stark reality, it was the wrong pitch for the wrong event, and Kent paid dearly with a defeat that sees them drop below Surrey into the bottom two places in Division 1.

Kent started the day with damage limitation in mind and, in that regard they did well in restricting Surrey to 215 and a first innings lead of 65.

Off-spinner James Tredwell claimed career-best figures of six for 47 and four for 36 in accounting for Brown Caps' dangermen Mark Ramprakash (61) and Ali Brown (7).

In-form Ramprakash, playing back in defence, saw the ball turn viciously through the gate to bowl him middle and off then, in Tredwell's next over, Brown chipped lamely to Rob Key at short mid-on after being beaten in the flight.

Ryan McLaren got in on the act by dismissing night watchman Jimmy Ormond for 15, ducking into a bouncer, the ball hit the side of Ormond's helmet, looped over his back and onto the stumps.

Though James Benning, with an excellent 26, showed some resolve, he was bowled by Martin Saggers – his first championship wicket fro Kent this year - Surrey soon succumbed to the wiles of Tredwell.

Matt Nicholson was stumped at the second attempt after being lured down the pitch then last man Chris Jordan was caught by Geraint Jones down the leg-side after gloving his first ball.

Batting again 65 in arrears, Kent openers Key (14 not out) and Joe Denly (14) reached 19 in their second innings before Denly, pushing forward at Ormond, lost his middle stump to make it 30 for one at lunch, but a horror show preceded the interval.

Nine wickets fell for 139 runs after the break as Kent, on a somewhat suspect surface, batted like men with demons in their heads.

To the hosts Harbhajan Singh appeared nigh on unplayable, and he finished with six for 57 and an overall match return of 11 for 91.

Surrey needed the extra half hour on day two to reach the 107 they needed to win with two days to spare, but the reality was, although Kent winkled out six wickets in the process, there was always only one likely winning side.

By the end Tredwell and occasional spinner Denly were turning it square and both took two wickets apiece, but as Surrey hit their winning runs Kent captain Rob Key was left shaking his head in disbelief over the wicket that had been prepared for his club's cricket week.

On Friday, a Kent Academy side including Sam Northeast and Neil Dexter will take on a Lashings World XI in a challenge match at St Lawrence from 2pm. Admission is free.

Scorecard

Kent first innings
J L Denly b Ormond 12
R W T Key not out 75
M van Jaarsveld c Batty b Jordan 22
M J Walker c Ramprakash b Jordan 0
D I Stevens c Batty b Singh 2
G O Jones b Singh 10
J C Tredwell c Batty b Nicholson 13
Yasir Arafat c Butcher b Singh 4
R McLaren lbw b Singh 0
S L Malinga b Nicholson 0
M J Saggers b Singh 0
Extras 12

Total 150 all out after 60.4 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-17, 2-61, 3-63, 4-66, 5-102, 6-133, 7-138, 8-138, 9-139.

Bowling: M J Nicholson 15-4-48-2, J Ormond 13-6-19-1, C J Jordan 13-3-41-2, H Singh 19.4-5-34-5.

Surrey first innings
S A Newman lbw b McLaren 57
J N Batty lbw b Malinga 7
M R Ramprakash b Tredwell 61
M A Butcher c Jones b Tredwell 19
S J Walters c Denly b Tredwell 2
J Ormond b McLaren 150
A D Brown c Key b Tredwell 7
J G E Benning b Saggers 26
M J Nicholson st Jones b Tredwell 1
H Singh not out 5
C J Jordan c Jones b Tredwell 0
Extras 15

Total 215 all out after 62 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-14, 2-93, 3-138, 4-146, 5-160, 6-174, 7-196, 8-209, 9-215.

Bowling: Arafat 8-1-42-0, Malinga 7-0-40-1, McLaren 17-6-37-2, Saggers 11-1-38-1, Tredwell 16-3-47-6, Stevens 3-2-1-0.

Kent second innings
J L Denly b Ormond 14
R W T Key c Batty b Singh 18
M van Jaarsveld c Singh b Nicholson 3
M J Walker b Singh 12
D I Stevens c Benning b Jordan 30
Yasir Arafat c Brown b Jordan 8
G O Jones c Brown b Singh 12
J C Tredwell c Butcher b Singh 50
R McLaren c Ormond b Singh 0
S L Malinga c Walters b Singh 12
M J Saggers not out 5
Extras 7

Total 171 all out after 58.3 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-19, 2-32, 3-38, 4-55, 5-78, 6-89, 7-111, 8-111, 9-163.

Bowling: Nicholson 12-4-43-1, Ormond 12-6-21-1, Singh 23.3-6-57-6, Jordan 11-1-47-2.

Surrey second innings

S A Newman b McLaren 10
J N Batty c Denly b Tredwell 12
M R Ramprakash st Jones b Denly 28
M A Butcher b Saggers 6
H Singh c Jones b Tredwell 29
S J Walters c Van Jaarsveld b Denly 4
A D Brown not out 2
J G E Benning not out 10
Extras 7

Total 108 for six after 23 overs

Bowling: Saggers 6-0-25-1, McLaren 6-0-17-1, Tredwell 10-0-48-2, Denly 2-0-13-2.

Bonus points: Kent 3pts, Surrey 18ts.