Kent take the title but County hanging in

Date: Thursday 17 September 2009

Leicestershire 148 (Dippenaar 52, Cook 5-44, Khan 4-46) and 97-0 (Boyce 53*, Nixon 37*) trail Kent 453 (van Jaarsveld 146, Jones 89, Harris 4-84, White 3-91) by 208 runs.

Leicestershire put up some spirited resistance to halt Kent’s victory charge during a day where the hosts claimed the Second Division Championship at Canterbury.

After clawing the run rate down to four-and-a-half and claiming six wickets to ensure full bowling points from the contest, Paul Nixon and Matthew Boyce then shared a fine unbroken 97-run stand as County saw out a tricky 38-over session after tea without loss.

It was a fine effort all-round given the nature of a very one-sided second day, and means although the side still trail by 208 runs, Kent will have to work hard to prise out all ten wickets on the final day.

It would have been easy for County to cave in completely amid a celebratory atmosphere in the South East, but they battled gamely to ensure the four draw points can be fought for tomorrow.

The hosts are still very much in the box seats, mainly thanks to a fine knock of 146 from vice-captain Martin van Jaarsveld as they progressed to 453. There were also useful contributions from everyone batting from number eight to eleven as Kent gained a first innings lead to 305.

The ever-willing AJ Harris was the pick of the attack with 4-84, while there was a Leicestershire first-class best for Wayne White, who is enjoying a cracking end to the season. He took 3-91 and bowled with good aggression throughout.

The first session was always going to be about the home side as the trophy was just 45 runs away at the start of the day. Kent duly reached their target of a fifth bonus point, although there was a little more drama around the tally than they may have anticipated as they sat on 249 for twelve balls and eight minutes of play.

Nightwatchman Amjad Khan had helped van Jaarsveld take the score to one shy of their 250 target, and found himself in the fairytale position of guiding his side to the vital point.

However, there was no happy ending as he perished looking for the precious run. White forced a false stroke from the batsman, who skied high into the off-side and was caught by Josh Cobb for 16.

The batsmen crossed, and Justin Kemp then played out a maiden from Iain O'Brien as the home side kept their supporters waiting, but fittingly it was talisman van Jaarsveld who got the single from the next over to clinch the trophy.

van Jaarsveld has amassed more than 1,500 first-class runs this season and contributed massively to Kent’s success. Winning titles should ensure images of popping champagne corks, but given the time of day, it was probably celebratory digestives to dunk in the morning coffee for the home changing room.

Kent have worked hard over the season, have outstanding individual statistics as well as a good collective work ethic and it is little surprise to see them regain their First Division statis at the first time of asking.

One of those outstanding individuals has been van Jaarsveld, and he was moving ominously towards another hundred this summer. County had not given up the ghost, though; far from it in fact, and took a second bowling point when White trapped Kemp leg-before later in the morning.

It was an impressive early burst from White. Neither he nor any other bowler could prevent van Jaarsveld from making his seventh first-class hundred of the summer though; a clip through mid-wicket from his 122nd delivery did the trick. It was his sixteenth four, and the batter had also struck two maximums along the way.

Although 250 ensured the title as Northants could only then draw level with Kent and the latter had more wins in the bank - the first title-deciding factor if points are level - home skipper Rob Key had set his sights on reaching 300 to ensure absolute clear water was between his team and everybody else.

It was the golfing equivalent of the holding Ryder Cup captain wanting an absolute victory total of fourteen-and-a-half points as opposed to a tie-certainty - and therefore winning - tally of fourteen. It showed a complete professionalism and Key’s desire for victory.

The team were certainly not making life easy for the hosts and Harris nearly had a well-deserved third wicket when new batsman Alex Blake slashed to point, but Boyce could not quite cling on to the diving effort.

Kent then completed their skipper's wishes and gained their third batting point before lunch, with van Jaarsveld continuing to dominate. He was quick to latch onto anything short or over-pitched; cutting, pulling and driving beautifully.

However, James Benning ended his innings, having the batsman caught behind off the edge for 146 to end the 81-run partnership he shared with Blake. Credit to Benning for continuing to plug away after a difficult first day, and the hosts went into lunch on 344-7.

Although Kent had achieved their primary objective of winning the Championship, they clearly want to win this game, and at lunch, their lead now stood at a healthy 196 despite only having completed four sessions of play.

Kent decided to press on, and they lost Blake for 33 after lunch. The youngster became Cobb's first Championship wicket of the season, offering a return catch to the bowler.

The hosts were not done, and Tredwell and McLaren formed another substantial stand. The two left handers formed stubborn barriers at the crease, with McLaren driving particularly nicely.

Tredwell was also quick to punish the short ball, but he fell for 29 to give County a third and final batting point. The off-spinner feathered a catch down the leg-side off the bowling of Harris and New completed the job.

The duo shared 63 for the ninth wicket, and there was certainly a lesson to be had for Leicestershire's batsmen about constructing partnerships. It was the fourth stand worth 50 or more during the innings – and the team clearly had taken note given their batting performance later in the day.

Before Nixon and Boyce could get the pads on, Kent were determined to eke out every run and Simon Cook is also hardly a bad option to have coming in at number eleven, He hit a quickfire unbeaten 23 to further frustrate County in a knock that included two sixes.

However, Harris had McLaren caught behind to finish the innings, with the seamer claiming a hard-earned fourth wicket.

Leicestershire needed a far steadier second innings than their first, and Boyce and Nixon provided it during an extended final session.

Both were solid and watchful; expansive only when the situation allowed. Indeed, after 14 overs of the second dig, County had gone some way to seeing off the new ball in moving to 42 without loss, with Boyce on 13 and Nixon striking three fours in an unbeaten 22.

Boyce then cut loose, with three fours in quick succession. One of those was a powerful cut through backward point; a super piece of timing.

Nixon was next to find the ropes – cracking through the covers, before Boyce smashed three more off-side boundaries between backward point and extra.

The stand was now past fifty and Key tried many changes to try to break through. However, the gutsy left-handed duo stood firm.

The hosts would not have been surprised to see Nixon scrapping away; the streetfighter is well-known in the Garden of England after having a spell with the club between his two spells with Leicestershire.

Boyce was also back to his gritty best, moving to a fourth Championship half-century from 119 balls with eight fours.

He was unbeaten on 53 at the close, with Nixon also there on 37. Both have batted for two hours and twenty minutes thus far, and if they can extend that stand well into the first session, County will be confident of securing some reward from this contest.

However, today was Kent’s day – and we pass on our congratulations to the club for winning the division.