Bob Willis Trophy: Zak Crawley gets duck in close Kent and Hampshire battle

Kent lost England batsman Zak Crawley with the first ball of the day

Thirteen wickets fell during an enthralling day as Kent and Hampshire battled for ascendancy on day two of their Bob Willis Trophy South Group game in Canterbury.

Kent are well placed having reduced the visitors to 108-5 in their second innings but the errant hosts will be upset by six dropped catches that could allow Hampshire to wriggle free in the hard-fought game.

Hampshire, having banked a first-innings lead of 21 and with 40 overs remaining, lost Ian Holland to the 15th ball of their second innings when he was trapped lbw by Harry Podmore.

Podmore celebrated in his next over by removing Tom Alsop, who found Jack Leaning at third slip for four.

Former Kent skipper Sam Northeast completed a miserable return to his old stomping ground by falling cheaply to Darren Stevens for the second time in the game as he was pinned in front for two just before tea.

Two balls after the resumption, Felix Organ bagged a pair when his defensive push pegged back leg stump via an inside edge as Stevens claimed two in the over and Organ for the second time in as many days.

Joe Weatherley should have departed four balls later but was dropped by Zak Crawley at second slip - Kent's fourth drop of the game.

However, two runs on Crawley made amends, hanging onto a low edge from Weatherley off the bowling of Podmore.

Lewis McManus, who was dropped on 14, watched as his partner Tom Scriven was given a lifeline on 36 as Crawley downed another tough chance at second slip off Stevens allowing Hampshire's sixth-wicket pair to add an unbroken 85 through to stumps - the highest stand of the match.

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Resuming on their parlous overnight score of 21-2, Kent's seemingly powerful batting line-up proceeded to make a hash of their response when they lost new Test star Crawley to the first ball of the morning.

Scott Currie sent Crawley packing lbw by umpire Billy Taylor for an eight-ball duck before adding nightwatchman Matt Milnes to his tally - caught and bowled for six.

Kent's fifth wicket of Heino Kuhn and Leaning maintained positive intent, adding 34 before the latter sparred nicked Scriven through to wicketkeeper McManus.

Hampshire's astute medium-pacers Holland and Scriven excelled in tandem, and the latter squared up Ollie Robinson as Kent went into lunch on 101-6.

Kuhn, solid for his 34 runs, drove rashly on the up to be caught at extra cover off Brad Wheal before Stevens, making a rare appearance at number nine in Kent's order, fell for an eight-ball duck.

Wheal enticed Grant Stewart to pull a bouncer straight to square leg for four but Kent dug deep to bring together Marcus O'Riordan and Podmore for their best partnership.

Last man Podmore hit out lustily in a stand worth 47 off 62 balls. Their fun ended with the total on 170 when Mason Crane snared O'Riordan lbw for a top-score of 37, leaving Podmore unbeaten on 30 as Currie returned 3-42 on Willis Trophy debut, while Wheal, Holland and Scriven bagged two apiece.

Match report supplied by PA Media.