Wes Agar runs by Northants as Kent boss opening day
Kent 110 for 1 (Muyeye 58*, Bell-Drummond 48*) path Northamptonshire 237 (Keogh 97, Agar 5-63) by 127 runs
Kent’s Australian worldwide Wes Agar claimed the second five-wicket haul of his first-class profession to limit Northamptonshire to a modest 237. It got here regardless of Rob Keogh main a spirited fightback for the hosts with a tremendous 97 on day one among this LV= Insurance County Championship match.
Tawanda Muyeye and Daniel Bell-Drummond took the constructive route in response, sharing a assured, attacking unbeaten partnership of 93 as Kent closed on 110 for 1 in 26 overs. The pair peppered the boundary, Muyeye smashing eight fours and a six off his 82 deliveries to this point.
Keogh fell agonisingly wanting a second consecutive century in opposition to Kent this season however did properly to assist his aspect get well after shedding three early wickets to catches within the slip cordon. It created a way of déjà vu for Northamptonshire followers after comparable batting collapses this season, however Keogh’s half-century partnerships with Sam Whiteman and Saif Zaib began to swing the momentum again their approach.
Agar, although, was discovering prodigious swing, having already eliminated Whiteman and Ricardo Vasconcelos, and he lastly ended Keogh’s resistance after 147 balls, and 13 fours, the primary of three wickets in 11 balls for the Australian, together with a double-wicket maiden. Tom Taylor clubbed six boundaries earlier than he grew to become a 3rd sufferer for Hamidullah Qadri.
Northamptonshire gained the toss and elected to bat first on a used pitch in temperatures of 30 levels. Agar was quickly within the wickets column when he eliminated Vasconcelos with out scoring within the fourth over. Left-arm fast Arshdeep Singh picked up Emilio Gay 9 balls later earlier than accounting for skipper Luke Procter.
Keogh took an unbeaten 116 off Kent within the opening sport of the season and tucked into their bowling as soon as extra. He punched Matt Quinn sq. for 4 and greeted Qadri’s arrival with an identical shot earlier than punching him by the covers when the spinner dropped brief. He additionally minimize powerfully to the ropes as Northamptonshire reached three figures earlier than lunch.
In the meantime, Whiteman drove Agar authoritatively down the bottom for 4 and was notably sturdy off his legs, steering Quinn behind sq. to the ropes. But with the protection of lunch simply 4 balls away, he misplaced focus and flashed at one outdoors of-stump from Agar with Leaning taking a superb tumbling catch, his third of the morning.
After lunch Keogh discovered a brand new associate in Zaib they usually placed on 65 in 15 overs. Keogh continued to revenue from the minimize and backfoot punch, advancing to his half-century off 72 balls. When Arshdeep examined him with a well-directed bouncer he was completely satisfied to take that on too, hooking it comfortably for 4.
Zaib grew to become Qadri’s first wicket when he backed away and was bowled, trying a minimize. The spinner struck once more in his subsequent over when Lewis McManus performed down the unsuitable line and popped a catch to brief leg.
Keogh grew more and more nervous by the nineties. He survived an lbw shout from Agar and supplied an edge which dropped wanting the slips. But though he reverse swept Qadri for 4 to maneuver to 97, Agar bought his man subsequent over when he was trapped lbw. Agar’s subsequent over noticed him bowl each Ben Sanderson and Jack White with out scoring.
Taylor traded some lusty blows, pulling Quinn for 4 and carving Agar to the ropes, earlier than punching two boundaries off Qadri. His bid to realize Northamptonshire a uncommon batting bonus although ended when he was caught off Qadri.
When Kent batted, Sanderson struck early to beat Ben Compton’s defences and hit the stumps. Muyeye regarded assured, powerfully slicing a brief ball from Sanderson for 4 and enjoying an beautiful cowl drive off Taylor to the ropes. His timing was exemplary, however he did play a uncommon false shot when he top-edged an tried hook, the ball falling simply in entrance of the fielder.
He quickly discovered the boundary once more, punishing consecutive brief balls from Taylor, swotting them disdainfully away to the ropes and smashing Keogh excessive over deep midwicket for six to convey up his half-century off 69 balls.
Bell-Drummond was timing the ball properly too, punching White down the bottom and carving him sq. earlier than enjoying the identical bowler by midwicket for 4 to convey up the fifty partnership with Muyeye off 93 balls.