Daniel Bell-Drummond 271*, Tawanda Muyeye 179 as Kent flatten Northamptonshire

Kent 550 for five (Bell-Drummond 271*, Muyeye 179) lead Northamptonshire 237 (Keogh 97, Agar 5-63) by 127 runs

Zimbabwean Muyeye cracked a trendy maiden first-class hundred full with 4 enormous sixes on his approach to 179 whereas the extra skilled Bell-Drummond inked in a brand new career-best of 271 not out, eclipsing his 206 not out in opposition to Loughborough University at Canterbury seven years in the past. Bell-Drummond’s particular person tally set a file for a Kent batsman at Wantage Road, beating Frank Wooley’s 217 again in 1926.

The pair added 318 for the second wicket because the guests piled up 550 for five by stumps, a lead of 313.

On what was a tricky day for a weary-looking Northamptonshire assault, Alex Russell and Ben Sanderson emerged from the onslaught with two wickets apiece.

Bell-Drummond set the tone, on-driving the primary ball of the day again previous the stumps for 4, nevertheless it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Muyeye took centre-stage.

The 22-year-old, who initially arrived on these shores together with his mom as an asylum seeker, confirmed his promise as a schoolboy at Eastbourne the place he set data for the variety of runs scored (1112) and sixes hit (56) in his first season.

Initially with Sussex, he signed for Kent in 2021, scoring 89 in opposition to Middlesex on the finish of that season because the hosts chased down a goal of 375 within the fourth innings.

Nevertheless, with England man Zak Crawley on the high of the order, his alternatives have been restricted, so this was solely his thirteenth first-class look, however there can be nothing unfortunate about it.

Muyeye picked up the place he’d left off on day one, utilizing the lengthy levers of his tall slender body to showcase a sublime method combined with energy, dismissing a brief one from Sanderson to the mid-wicket boundary earlier than despatching lengthy hops from Jack White and Alex Russell to the sq. leg fence.

A single to deep cowl took him past that earlier career-best in opposition to Middlesex and there have been no nervous 90s both, an enormous six over mid-on taking him to the brink of that maiden hundred which duly got here minutes later courtesy of one other half-tracker pulled to the fence.

Off got here the helmet amid a joyous celebration from a gifted younger participant who’d performed with the exuberance of somebody having fun with a Sunday afternoon recreation within the park together with his mates. He celebrated the milestone with a wonderful straight six off White which raised the 200-stand.

Bell-Drummond was much less exuberant, however continued his wealthy vein of kind in June, a twelfth 4 carrying him to 3 figures in a wicketless first session for the hosts.

The pair solid on after the interval, Muyeye plundering a 3rd six, he’d solely hit one in first-class cricket earlier than right now. The stand moved past 300 and the 2nd wicket file in opposition to Northamptonshire of 382 set by Sean Dickson and Joe Denly seemed in sight earlier than the teenager mishit Russell into the palms of Sanderson at cowl.

Such was the allure with which he’d performed, that his departure took a few of the sunshine out of the cricket, Denly and Jack Leaning falling cheaply both aspect of the second new ball, the latter to a sharply spinning supply from Rob Keogh which bowled him via the gate.

Bell-Drummond although picked up the mantle, a wonderful straight drive taking him previous his earlier Championship-best of 166. His first Championship double hundred full with 20 fours got here quickly after tea, and 4 via mid-wicket off White enabled him to chalk up the brand new career-best landmark.

Jordan Cox saved him firm both aspect of tea with an ebullient 41 in a stand of 106 earlier than being castled by the persevering Sanderson.

Bell-Drummond nonetheless batted via to stump and a triple century beckons on day three.