Century by Joe Denly is not enough for Kent as Essex win during Tunbridge Wells Festival Week
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Joe Denly's hundred on the
final day failed to save Kent from a 122-run defeat against Essex
at Tunbridge Wells on Friday.
The defeat saw Kent drop to fourth
place in LV County Championship Division 2.
With Kent chasing an improbable 478
for victory on the final day, Denly’s stay of nearly six hours came
to an end against the part-time off-spin bowling of Alistair Cook,
the England opener.
The 23-year-old (pictured) hit
17 fours and two sixes during his 236-ball knock but his demise,
soon after lunch, gave Essex the opportunity they were hoping
for.
It was left to the spin bowling of
Danish Kaneria to guide Essex to victory as he made light work of
the lower order with figures of 6-92 from 42 overs, having not
taken a wicket in Kent’s miserable first innings effort of 123.
Only Martin van Jaarsveld (73) and
Darren Stevens (43) showed any resistance and the final five
wickets went for just 43 runs either side of tea.
Kent were always on the backfoot
after the first innings. Having reduced Essex to 18-3, first the
returning Matthew Walker and then Graham Napier’s 66 not out helped
the visitors to 280.
Losing both Denly and out-of-form
skipper Rob Key without score left Kent 4-2 overnight and they
quickly collapsed to 50-6 before Justin Kemp’s 36 helped them to
123.
Essex did not have the same
struggles second time around as they declared on 320-6 once skipper
Mark Pettini had reached his century, although Kent’s cause was not
helped as they were without paceman Robbie Joseph through a groin
injury.
Essex batted on well into day three
but it proved ultimately the right decision by Pettini thanks to
Kaneria’s wicket haul on the final afternoon.
Sunday, June 21 2009
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