Bears outplay Kent on day one at Edgbaston
Will Rhodes' only century this season was against the Kookaburra ball against Durham in April
- Published
Vitality County Championship Division One, Edgbaston (day one)
Kent 156: Compton 70; Booth 3-13, Hannon-Dalby 3-31, Rushworth 3-43
Warwickshire 207-3: Rhodes 82*; Ogborne 2-46
Warwickshire (3 pts) lead (Kent 1 pt) by 51 runs
Former Warwickshire skipper Will Rhodes showed his partiality to the Kookaburra ball as the Bears almost totally dominated day one against relegation-bound Kent in Birmingham.
Having plundered 242 runs in two matches at Edgbaston when the ball was last used by the ECB at the start of the season in April, Rhodes added a further 82 not out as the Bears finished a sun-kissed day on 207-3.
Having bowled out hapless Kent for just 156 earlier, inside 40 overs, that earned the Bears a 51-run lead going into day two.
And, although they lost openers Rob Yates (40) and captain Alex Davies (37) and the recalled Sam Hain (32), all when well set, Rhodes will hope to add a few more to get a well deserved century, build the Bears a potentially match-winning lead - and give the home supporters something to remember him by.
The Durham-bound all-rounder has only one more home match before he leaves at the end of the season - and a first Warwickshire red-ball win of the summer at the 11th time of asking would be a nice way to bow out.
Confidence-sapped Kent, now looking certainties to return to Division Two, always looked in danger after being given first use of facing the Kookaburra ball, which appears to offer bowlers more help in its first 20 or so overs.
Opener Ben Compton resisted well, batting through to eventually be last man out for 70, and Joey Evison made 28, but nobody else made double figures.
It took Olly Hannon-Dalby just four balls to remove last week's double-centurion Tawanda Mueye, caught behind.
Chris Rushworth then struck five overs later at the other end when he induced an edge from Kent captain Daniel Bell-Drummond at third slip.
And Hannon-Dalby pounced again at the other end to have Jack Leaning well taken by Hain at first slip, moving to his right.
Evison then joined Compton to add 57 in 13 overs, but Ed Barnard ended that stand to have him caught behind on 28 - the first of four pre-lunch wickets inside four overs.
Michael Booth did the main damage, removing Harry Finch, Grant Stewart and Charlie Stobo in the space of 11 balls to leave Kent in serious bother on 121-7 at lunch.
But it did not take much of the afternoon session to account for the last three wickets.
And, once Rhodes had played himself in again, the Bears continued to dominate as they bid to end an unwanted statistic this season of five successive home draws.
