County Championship: Lancashire close in on victory despite Ben Compton resistance
- Published
Kent centurion Ben Compton also made 129 in Kent's opening fixture against Essex
LV= County Championship Division One, Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury (day three) |
Lancashire 506: Croft 155, Vilas 124, Salt 97; Qadri 6-129 |
Kent 260: Compton 104*Crawley 54; Parkinson 4-66, Balderson 3-14 & 81-6: Compton 20*, Parkinson 2-22 |
Kent (3 pts) need a further 165 runs to avoid an innings defeat by Lancashire (7 pts) |
Lancashire are well on top in their opening County Championship Division One game against Kent despite being held up by Kent opener Ben Compton.
The Red Rose took 13 wickets on day three as, from 133-3 overnight, Kent were bowled out for 260, then slumped to 81-6 second time around.
Leg-spinner Matt Parkinson and seamer George Balderson did the main damage.
But, after carrying his bat for 104 not out, Compton was still there on 20 in the second innings to give Kent hope.
After Lancashire immediately enforced the follow-on, Kent closed still needing another 165 to make the visitors bat again.
Parkinson so far has match figures of 6-88 while Balderson has taken four wickets for 16, including 3-14 to help finish off Kent's first innings.
Compton, who made 129 in Kent's opening fixture against Essex last week, briefly got stuck before reaching three figures again.
He was on 99 for 38 minutes but, having witnessed all 16 Kent dismissals from the other end, he has so far been out in the middle for every ball of this match.
Kent's Ben Compton:
"I'm just exhausted but to follow up my innings at Essex with my first century at Canterbury is obviously very important to me.
"It's just one of those days where things happen quickly. We're in a bit of trouble now but we've got to try and battle deep tomorrow and see how far we can get.
"It was a bit of a weird one to be stuck on 99 for so long. They were quite smart about it. They just put the ball there and I had to try and look for something and just try to be patient.
"As soon as they said we were batting again I knew I'd be straight out there so I just tried to reset. You're back on zero and you've got to see off the new ball, so that was my aim."
Leg-spinner Matt Parkinson told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"We probably didn't think we'd have as much success as we did. Strangely enough it's probably not one of the grounds I think about bowling on, I just guess I'm lucky that the two times I've been it's suited me.
"Coming here to Canterbury both years the pitches have been good and that's what cricket needs. It gives you the time as a leg spinner to bowl and bowl and bowl.
"First innings it was drifting nicely, The danger ball was probably starting just outside off and coming back in, trying to hit them on the pads.
"There has been the odd ball that has spun, one to Cox which I'm not really counting so that's probably been the tactic."