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Kent lead Derbyshire by 276 runs after day two in County Championship after bowling hosts out for 156

Kent dominated with bat and ball to put themselves into a strong position after day two of their County Championship clash at Derbyshire.

Despite an indifferent weather forecast for day three, Kent will be confident of wrapping up victory in the next two days.

Grant Stewart took 5-23 in 13 overs for Kent against Derbyshire. Picture: Ady Kerry
Grant Stewart took 5-23 in 13 overs for Kent against Derbyshire. Picture: Ady Kerry

An incisive new ball burst from Grant Stewart has put Kent firmly in charge. He ripped through Derbyshire’s top order to take 4-6 in nine overs and ended with figures of 5-23 as Derbyshire were all out for 156.

That gave Kent a lead of 129 and when bad light ended play early, they were 276 in front on 147-1 with Jordan Cox unbeaten on 58.

Derbyshire’s frail batting was exposed by Stewart who exploited overcast conditions to take four of the first five wickets to fall.

Leus du Plooy went to the second ball of the morning which he edged to third slip and Wayne Madsen was the next to go after taking 26 balls to get off the mark.

He edged Nathan Gilchrist to third slip where Jack Leaning leapt to hold the second of four catches and although Billy Godleman and Matt Critchley briefly counter-attacked, the slide continued in Stewart’s second spell.

The pair plundered five consecutive fours off Gilchrist and Jas Singh but Critchley was caught behind driving expansively at Stewart who then brought one back sharply to bowl Tom Wood.

Derbyshire began the afternoon session just as badly with Brooke Guest lbw to the second ball from Harry Podmore and when Anuj Dal became Stewart’s fifth victim, Derbyshire were in danger of following-on at 93-7.

Godleman fell to a breathtaking diving catch by Leaning at gully for an obdurate 31 off 109 balls but some uncomplicated blows by Sam Conners and Ben Aitchison spared Derbyshire from being asked to bat again.

Despite limping after turning an ankle, Conners struck four fours and two sixes before he swung Podmore to deep mid-wicket but it was the seventh time in 13 matches this season that Derbyshire had failed to register a batting point.

With Conners unable to bowl, Kent built steadily against a depleted attack before Zak Crawley was caught at mid-off for 68 with the score on 114. Daniel Bell-Drummond (17 not out) will resume alongside Cox in the morning.

Read more: All the latest sports news in Kent

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