Kent rebuild after Derbyshire striker early

Kent went in at lunch on 68 for two and having partially recovered from two early shocks on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship clash with Derbyshire in sunny Canterbury.
..
.

Fielding first after the first uncontested toss on this famous old ground, Derbyshire made their first breakthrough after 50 minutes’ play and in the 11th over of the morning.

Rookie paceman Will Davis, in only his third first-class appearance, claimed the notable scalp of New Zealand Test opener Tom Latham, leg before for 14, after the left-hander missed an attempted leg-side clip to make it 30 for one.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Four runs later Sean Dickson, who hit a career-best unbeaten 207 in the reverse fixture at Derby in May, ran himself out for 15. Pushing to cover point, the right-hander set off for a risky single but lost the race against Wayne Madsen’s direct hit to the non-striker’s end.

The hosts re-grouped thereafter as Joe Denly and Sam Northeast batted through to the first interval, adding 34 runs in the process.

Kent went into this, their ninth game of the campaign hoping for a repeat performance of their seven-wicket win in the East Midlands, but, with five players out injured, the hosts were forced into making four changes to the side that drew with Glamorgan last week. Daniel Bell-Drummond (hand), Adam Rouse (broken finger), Matt Coles, Calum Haggett (ankle) and Ivan Thomas (hamstring) all missed out and were replaced by Alex Blake, Sam Billings, Adam Ball, and Matt Hunn.