County Championship: Matt Critchley scores sublime century on Essex debut as Kent struggle

Matt Critchley narrowly failed to better his career-best score of 137 not out against Northamptonshire in 2015

Matt Critchley struck a classy century on his Essex debut as the home side stayed in firm control against Kent on day two at Chelmsford.

The all-rounder hit a superb 132 to add to first-day tons from Alistair Cook and Nick Browne.

He got excellent support from fellow debutant Adam Rossington (47) and Adam Wheater (37) as Essex piled up 514 in their first innings.

Kent made an admirable effort in reply, reaching the close on 122-1.

After pegging Essex back from 220-0 to 262-4 late on day one, Kent sensed a way back into the match when home captain Tom Westley nibbled at one off the back foot from Jackson Bird to Ollie Robinson behind the stumps, having added only nine to his overnight 28 to leave the home side 288-5.

But Critchley, who scored exactly 1,000 Championship runs last season for Derbyshire before moving south, was in imperious form on a blameless pitch in his first innings for his new county.

With sumptuous timing and immaculate placement, he reached his half-century with a pull to the mid-wicket boundary off Bird as he added 65 for the sixth wicket with Rossington - who also enjoyed himself on debut with a lively 41 off 52 balls - following his pre-season arrival on loan from Northamptonshire.

When Rossington had the top of his off stump tickled by Darren Stevens, wicketkeeper Wheater carried on with supporting Critchley who moved through the gears in a stand of 94.

After Wheater's slash at Matthew Quinn sent his own leg stump cartwheeling, Critchley quickly raced to his century with delicious back-to-back boundaries, reaching the fifth first-class hundred of his career off 148 balls with 12 fours.

Eyeing a personal best, he added two sixes - the second off spinner Tawanda Muyeye breaking a camera behind the bowler's arm - before he was last man out missing a career-high score by six runs as he chopped on to give Muyeye a modicum of revenge.

To their credit Kent, without former England batter Joe Denly after he went off with a hamstring injury before lunch, made steady progress in their reply.

Despite losing Daniel Bell-Drummond (11) lbw to Sam Cook, new signing Ben Compton (47) - with flamboyant support from Muyeye (43) - put on 86 to guide Kent to stumps on 122-1, 392 behind.

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