Sussex beat Kent by 66 runs

KENT conceded their unbeaten championship record yet remained top of Frizzell Division 1 after a last-day capitulation to struggling Sussex.

Returning to St Lawrence for their first four-day match in almost two months Kent, needing 186 for victory, were rolled over for 119 and their lowest score of the season to lose by 66 runs.

On a worn pitch but otherwise in ideal batting conditions, Kent went into the final day on 97 for six and needing a further 89 from the remaining 96 overs in the game.

Yet they lost their last four wickets for 17 runs in the space of 50 balls and 34 minutes to lose for the first time in nine starts.

Though tail-enders Niall O’Brian, Min Patel and Amjad Khan will be less than pleased with their final day dismissals, the stark truth was that Kent had lost this game long before then.

David Fulton’s decision to insert Sussex on an opening day of bright sunshine mystified most and delighted visiting skipper Chris Adams, who would have batted any way.

Fulton believed the pitch would still be slightly damp from the sprinkling of rain it received during the previous week’s Twenty20 tie here, also against Sussex, and opted to back his four seamers to make an impact on the first hour.

The reality was, Kent’s Darren Stevens dropped Ian ward at fourth slip when on nine allowing Ward to go on and become the only centurion of the match and Sussex to post 378 - the game’s highest total.

Crucially, Kent dropped three other catches in the opening three days, Stevens, Min Patel and Martin van Jaarsveld making the blunders that in total cost them 160 runs and any chance of winning the game.

Despite being dogged by side-strain and a headache Khan proved to be Kent’s most potent bowling force in taking five wickets in the match, while Hall, Cook, Stevens and Patel supplied steady support.

Saggers claimed one wicket from his 28 overs in the match and although he will again curse his luck, he has yet to find the pace or form of previous years.

Fulton’s poor run with the bat continued and his early loss bought together Rob Key and van Jaarsveld for a decent second-wicket stand of 93 in 28 overs that ended when Mushtaq Ahmed, the quality bowler of the field, turned one through van Jaarsveld’s gate.

Key, Stevens, Hall and Walker (batting at six due to a chest infection), all scored decent half-centuries without ever looking 'in', but Kent compounded Fulton’s decision to field first by giving up their wickets too cheaply and failing to work their way to a first innings lead.

To add salt to their wounds, Kent’s last four wickets fell for 25 in the space of 55 meaning Kent missed out on a fourth batting bonus point by only two runs.

Having conceded a first innings deficit of 30, Kent picked themselves up admirably to dismiss Sussex second time around for 155, the visitor’s lowest total of the season.

Michael Yardy top-scored with 34, but there was little resistance elsewhere as Khan polished the innings off with three for one in nine balls.

Needing 186 to win with four sessions of the game remaining Kent could afford to take their time in the run chase, but their victory hopes were effectively dashed within 30 overs as they slumped to 93 for six.

Mushtaq Ahmed made light, last-day work of it, polishing them off with four for 58 as Sussex recorded only their second win of the campaign.

SCORECARD

Sussex first innings

I J Ward c Fulton b Hall 100
R R Montgomerie run out (Walker) 21
M H Yardy b Khan 6
M W Goodwin c O’Brien b Hall 63
C J Adams c O’Brien b Cook 83
T R Ambrose b Cook 13
R S Martin-Jenkins c O’Brien b Saggers 2
Rana Naved c O’Brien b Patel 23
Mushtaq Ahmed c &b Stevens 7
R J Kirtley not out 21
J D Lewry c Saggers b Cook 4
Extras 35

Total 378 all out after 112.1 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-65, 2-79, 3-210, 4-211, 5-235, 6-240, 7-291, 8-298, 9-370.

Bowling: Saggers 20-1-65-1, Khan 15-1-65-1, Hall 24-1-73-2, Cook 24.1-11-57-3, Stevens 19-2-43-1, Patel 10-1-51-1.

Kent first innings

D P Fulton c Ambrose b Lewry 1
R W T Key c Adams b Lewry 74
M van Jaarsveld b Ahmed 32
D I Stevens b Naved-ul-Hasan 50
A J Hall c Yardy b Kirtley 68
M J Walker not out 55
N J O’Brien b Martin-Jenkins 34
M M Patel b Ahmed 9
S J Cook lbw b Naved 9
M J Saggers b Ahmed 6
A Khan not out 0
Extras 10

Total 348 all out after 102.1 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-9, 2-102, 3-142, 4-187, 5-264, 6-321, 7-326, 8-336, 9-348

Bowling: Kirtley 19-6-73-1, Lewry 19-5-63-2, Martin-Jenkins 11-2-24-1, Naved-ul-Hasan 19.1-1-46-3, Mushtaq Ahmed 34-2-134-3.

Sussex second innings

I J Ward c O’Brien b Saggers 3
R R Montgomerie lbw b Hall 17
M H Yardy c Hall b Khan 34
M W Goodwin c Stevens b Patel 26
C J Adams b Patel 31
T R Ambrose lbw b Hall 12
R S C Martin-Jenkins c O’Brien b Patel
Naved-ul-Hasan c O’Brien b Khan 6
Mushtaq Ahmed c van Jaarsveld b Khan 4
R J Kirtley b Khan 0
J D Lewry not out 1
Extras 15

Total 155 all out after 55.3 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-14, 2-34, 3-87, 4-89, 5-116, 7-144, 8-153, 9-154

Bowling: Saggers 8-4-16-1, Khan 10.3-2-39-4, Hall 13-2-44-2, Cook 7-3-19-0, Patel 17-5-27-3.

Kent second innings

D P Fulton c Adams b Kirtley 4
R W T Key c&b Naved 31
M van Jaarsveld lbw b Kirtley 4
M J Walker c Goodwin b Ahmed 32
D I Stevens st Ambrose b Ahmed 0
A J Hall c Ambrose b Naved 12
N J O’Brien c Adams b Mushtaq 10
M M Patel c Kirtley b Naved 2
S J Cook lbw b Mushtaq 7
M J Saggers not out 2
A Khan c&b Naved 8
Extras 7

Total 119 all out after 44.2 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-4, 2-14, 3-69, 4-69, 5-85, 6-93, 7-102, 8-105, 9-110

Bowling: Kirtley 10-3-20-2, Lewry 7-3-10-0, Mushtaq Ahmed 15-3-58-4, Naved 12.2-3-28-4.

Sussex (21pts) beat Kent (6pts) by 66 runs.