Kent on top

By Jeremy Horne
July 20 2002

Kent are firmly in control after 2 days of their fixture with league leaders Surrey. They lead by 323 runs with 4 2nd innings wickets in hand, but could have been in a stronger position had Surrey failed to avoid the follow-on target, which they only surpassed by 1 run.

Kent had started brightly on day 1, with the ever-impressive opening partnership of Fulton and Key sharing 121 with both men making 50’s. Andrew Symonds then put Kent into firm control with a typically quick 118, but Kent failed to really out the pressure on Surrey with a poor batting display by their tail. Saqlain Mushtaq finished with five wickets, whilst spin twin Ian Salisbury took 4.

Surrey’s reply the began in disastrous fashion, with Martin Saggers and Amjad Khan taking 3 wickets apiece to reduce the visitors to 77-6, with only Mark Butcher making any kind of impression as he scored 34. Saggers also claimed the vital wicket of the in form Mark Ramprakash for a duck. It was then left to Adam Hollioake who in stands of 49 with Jon Batty and 43 with Saqlain Mushtaq began to rebuild the innings, without any of his partners reaching double figures. 40 runs were still needed to avoid the follow-on when Ed Giddins came to the crease and all seemed a lost cause. However a scored a crucial 1 in a stand of 41 as Surrey limped past the target, with skipper Adam Hollioake scoring his 1st first class century of the year, remaining 122 not out.

Kent Were going along steadily in their second innings and looking to set Surrey a huge forth innings target, when four wickets suddenly reduced them from 130-2 to 145-6, with Saqlain Mushtaq once again being the chief destroyer claiming 3 scalps. James Golding and Robert Key then took Kent to the close without further alarm as their stand reached 29 when rain brought an early end to the day’s play.

Summary of scores:

Kent 1st innings: 374 (Symonds 118, Saqlain Mushtaq 5-122, Salisbury 4-59)

Surrey 1st innings: 225 (Hollioake 122*, Saggers 5-66, Khan 4-91)

Kent second innings: 174-6 (Key 63*, Symonds 51)