Fifties from Crawley, Compton and Leaning safe rearguard draw for Kent
Kent 95 (Fuller 5-21, Abbott 3-23) and 259 for 4 dec (Leaning 68*, Crawley 56, Compton 54) drew with Hampshire 373 (Dawson 84, Weatherley 58, Fuller 51)
A superb defensive show by Kent earned them a draw with Hampshire, after an engrossing remaining day within the LV= Insurance County Championship at Canterbury. It was a textbook rearguard motion by the hosts, who closed on 259 for 4, having batted out 113 overs earlier than the captains shook palms, despite the fact that Kent have been nonetheless 18 runs behind.
Ben Compton and Zak Crawley had given Kent hope with a gap stand of 122 and though Hampshire’s hopes have been ignited by a spell of three wickets for 4 runs, they have been annoyed by Jack Leaning and Jordan Cox, whose unbeaten stand of 77 took out 43.2 overs.
Keith Barker and Liam Dawson took two wickets apiece, but it surely was an exasperating remaining day for the guests. The hosts shall be far happier with the draw, having been bowled out for 95 of their first innings, earlier than Hampshire posted 373 in reply.
The guests had regarded heavy favourites, however Kent have been 66 with out loss in a single day after 26 overs of stoicism from Compton and a restrained Crawley. Batting situations regarded considerably simpler in a Spitfire Ground that regarded and felt heat for the primary time this season, and each openers eased their approach to fifty, however after over an hour of resistance, Dawson made the breakthrough with two wickets in an over.
Crawley was caught behind for 56 and 4 deliveries later Tawanda Muyeye fell for a duck, held by Fletcha Middleton at foolish level.
When Keith Barker subsequently had Compton lbw for 54 Kent have been reeling on 126 for 3, however Leaning and Sam Billings survived until lunch and for almost an hour after it earlier than the latter was lbw for 29 to Barker.
That was the one wicket to fall within the afternoon session, with Kent reaching 202 for 4 at tea. Cox performed with admirable restraint and when Mohammad Abbas did discover his edge it bisected the slip cordon and his subsequent supply fell simply in need of second slip. They have been remoted alarms for the hosts.
Leaning reached 50 when he pulled Barker to sq. leg for a single and an exhausted Hampshire aspect tried 9 completely different bowlers earlier than giving up the ghost with 9 scheduled overs remaining. Leaning ended on 68 not out from 206 balls, with Cox unbeaten on 30 from 130.