Kent's league game with Warwickshire closely poised going in to the final day

Bell looks in good touch before falling
just short of century

AN INTRIGUING final day is all set up in Kent’s game against Warwickshire in the LV County Championship: Division One early season game, as those England Internationals who did not travel with the squad for the World Twenty20 competition in Barbados, shine through.

An impressive first innings bowling performance from Kent, saw Warwickshire limited to 250 all out with England Batsman, Jonathan Trott, top scorer with 67. The pick of the bowlers was battled out between local boy, Mat Coles and Simon Cook who both took 4 important wickets.

In reply, England International, Joe Denly looked as if he was sailing towards a well deserved century, but was caught on 95. He was the first of Clarke’s victims as he took great figures of 6-63. Some other strong batting performances saw Darren Stevens, hit 57, Martin van Jaarsveld fall just short of his half-century, being caught by Jonathan Trott on 47.

It was then the turn of Warwickshire to put in a good batting performance, reaching 327 all out at the end of day three, with another England International, Ian Bell, also falling short of a ton, being trapped lbw by Amjad Khan on 94. Jonathan Trott, would again be disappointed as he looked in touch to get to 66 before, also being trapped lbw, this time to the bowling of Mat Coles, which was his only solitary wicket of the innings. Coles’ main rival in bowling figures for the match, Simon Cook, picked up another 3 wickets taking his overall figures to 7-141.

Speaking to BBC Radio Kent, Rob Key admitted how balanced the game currently is and said: “It was always going to be tougher to bowl them out second time around as the pitch had got a bit better. But it's an even contest now really.”

However, Kent Batsman, Darren Stevens, looked back on his teams performance with slight disappointment “It wasn't one of our best days," said Stevens. He added: "We did have a decent lead but we weren't good enough. We got a wicket early doors but we weren't good enough from there on in with the new ball.”