County Championship: Kent fight back against Essex in high-scoring game
- Published
Ben Compton's innings of 129 came off 289 balls with 19 fours and lasted more than six hours
LV= County Championship Division One, The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford (day three): |
Essex 514: Critchley 132, Browne 107, A Cook 100; Bird 3-85 |
Kent: 405-5: Compton 129, Cox 100*; S Cook 2-56 |
Kent (4 pts) trail Essex (4 pts) by 109 runs |
Ben Compton and Jordan Cox added their names to the list of century makers as Kent produced an excellent fightback against Essex at Chelmsford.
Compton's 129 and Cox's unbeaten 100 ensured Kent avoided the follow-on with comfort as they enjoyed near-perfect batting conditions.
Tawanda Muyeye (58) and Darren Stevens (51) also had useful knocks as Kent closed 109 runs behind on 405-5.
Kent's gutsy effort should see the game end in draw on the final day.
Resuming the third day on 122-1, Compton and Muyeye took their partnership to 121 before the latter was trapped plum in front to the leg-spin of Essex century-maker from day two Matt Critchley (2-69).
Compton, grandson and cousin of former England internationals Denis and Nick respectively, grew in confidence as he cruised towards a debut hundred for his new county having joined from Nottinghamshire.
He brought up his first Championship century - and third of his first-class career - off his 220th delivery before his 123-run stand with Cox was ended when he was bowled by one that seemed to keep a bit low from Sam Cook around the wicket.
Critchley returned to remove stand-in skipper Ollie Robinson for 12 in almost identical fashion to his earlier dismissal of Muyeye.
But Cox and Stevens kept up the momentum with Cox making watchful progress through the 90s before the 21-year-old scampered the single that sealed his second Championship ton as Kent picked up a third batting point on their way to removing the prospect of being asked to bat again.
Stevens was threatening fireworks as he reached his half-century only to edge a floaty spinner from Dan Lawrence to Alastair Cook at slip.
After seeing Essex stack up the runs, Kent's character with the bat has at least ensured their depleted side should get out of the game with a draw.
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Essex head coach Anthony McGrath:
"It's a similar pitch to the one we had in the first game last season with Worcestershire. There's not a lot in it but we probably had the worst of the conditions with it being a bit damp on day one.
"We were hoping to create some chances but the pitch just got slower and slower and died really so towards the end, it was not really carrying through.
"Matt Critchley is having an excellent debut for us: He batted really well and now he's bowled well."
Kent's Ben Compton:
"I'm very thrilled to get that score. I just wanted to spend time out there and take everything in: the wicket, being in a new environment.
"My job is to give everything I can to try and get involved. It's a long road but you have to enjoy these moments, so I will. On a personal level it's great to feel that backing from the club.
"I went away this winter and it did a lot for my cricket. I played in Zimbabwe and both the cricketing experience and the life experience, being in a different part of the world, was good for me."