1.17pm Joe Denly's fourth century of the season has put Kent in a strong position here, writes Paul Weaver at Canterbury, over 400 runs ahead at lunch with eight wickets in hand. If Kent don't win here, after Rob Key's strange decision not to enforce the follow-on, the Kent captain should be handed a loaded revolver and told to do the decent thing. But it looks as though only weather can stop them now.
Kent's bowlers got through only 36.5 overs in disposing of Lancashire for just 125 yesterday but Key decided to bat again. The fact that this also gave Lancashire's stricken Stuart Law (he has bad back problems) more time to recover made the decision stranger still. But all will be forgiven in these parts if Kent pull it off.
Defeat for Lancashire, meanwhile, will increase the pressures at Old Trafford. Lancashire have not won the championship, outright, since 1934. More remarkably, they haven't won anything for nine years. And this is such a big club. They must have the most patient membership in the world. If Lancashire were an Italian football club the place would have been torched to the ground a long time ago. The decision to let Dominic Cork go must be the right one, even though it was handled badly. Tom Smith, among others, has to get a run.
Kent resumed here on 145 for one and have lost one wicket this morning. Neil Dexter was caught at slip off Gary Keedy for 75. But Denly went on to score his hundred in 225 minutes, off 192 balls with 10 fours. Kent will be looking to declare before long.
1.22pm No sign of a deal between the captains so far and at lunch this appears to be going nowhere with just one Hampshire batsman gone and only 64 overs left in the day, reports Mike Averis at the Rose Bowl. Somerset extended their overnight lead to 120 - 30 short of the target their coach Andy Hurry had in mind last night - before Dimitri Mascarenhas wrapped up the innings, or rather had three cheap wickets donated.
Ian Blackwell pushed his overnight century out to 129 before was caught behind, just about reaching one of many poor deliveries. Then Alfonso Thomas and Charl Willoughby went to consecutive deliveries, both caught in the covers, although not before Thomas with 43, had recorded his highest score since joining Somerset. His stand with Blackwell, who batted for 263 minutes and faced 214 balls, was worth 88. Hurry had hoped that a lead of 150 would give his bowlers time to apply pressure, but no bowler has got anything out of this slow wicket so far. Blackwell bowled tidily during Hampshire's first innings and although Somerset have the spin option of Arul Suppiah for this match, much will depend on the all rounder.
In reply Hampshire are 28 for one at lunch, Jimmy Adams lbw hitting across the line, but if Hampshire lose from here, on this last day of championship cricket at the Rose Bowl, it will just about put the cap on a poor season which last week brought the resignation of their coach, Paul Terry.
4.43pm Joe Denly's fourth century of the season has put Kent in a strong position here, 413 runs ahead at lunch with eight wickets in hand, writes Paul Weaver. If Kent don't win here, after Rob Key's strange decision not to enforce the follow-on, the Kent captain should be handed a loaded revolver and told to do the decent thing. But it looks as though only weather can stop them now.
Kent's bowlers got through only 36.5 overs in disposing of Lancashire for just 125 yesterday but Key decided to bat again. The fact that this also gave Lancashire's stricken Stuart Law (he has bad back problems) more time to recover made the decision stranger still. But all will be forgiven in these parts if Kent pull it off. Defeat for Lancashire, meanwhile, will increase the pressures at Old Trafford. Lancashire have not won the championship, outright, since 1934. More remarkably, they haven't won anything for nine years. And this is such a big club.
They must have the most patient membership in the world. If Lancashire were an Italian football club the place would have been torched to the ground a long time ago. The decision to let Dominic Cork go must be the right one, even though it was handled badly. Tom Smith, among others, has to get a run.
