Kent captain Daniel Bell-Drummond made it back-to-back centuries as just two wickets fell on day two of their Vitality County Championship Division 1 clash with Essex in Chelmsford on Saturday.
Bell-Drummond followed up his second innings ton against Somerset with another three-figure score and he was joined in the hundred club by opener Ben Compton, who reached the landmark in the final over of the day.
Replying to Essex’s daunting total of 530-7 declared, Kent closed the day on 245-1, still 285 runs behind their hosts.
“It was a good day for us,” said Bell-Drummond. “They got a lot of runs on the board and started well, so it was crucial myself and Ben [Compton] got stuck in, got over the new ball and took it from there.
“They bowled quite well, though it is quite a nice pitch to bat on. They kept the rate down for a little bit, but we got through that period and both played nicely.
“All you can do is take it ball-by-ball. It can be quite daunting facing such a large first-innings score from Essex, but that is what you do when you bat first – try and put runs on the board.
“We just had to dig in and take it over by over and try and be not out at the end of the day. When we came out to bat after lunch, we weren’t looking that far ahead. But it’s always a pleasure batting with Ben, we complement each other really well. I’m just glad we could get through to the end of the day.”
Essex’s total was anchored by Matt Critchley’s career-best 151 not out, beating his unbeaten 137 against Northamptonshire in his second appearance for Derbyshire as an 18-year-old back in 2015. His marathon innings encompassed 212 balls and included just five fours, but four sixes.
Shane Snater had claimed the first Kent wicket just before lunch when Twanda Muyeye shouldered arms to one that went straight on and rapped his pad to depart for 11.
Compton and Bell-Drummond dug in doggedly initially at around two an over until the Kent captain hit Simon Harmer straight for four and added another through mid-wicket in the same over. When Compton flicked Jamie Porter off his legs, Kent had added 14 runs in six balls.
Bell-Drummond reached his half-century from 99 balls with a push into the covers off Aaron Beard, and then cross-batted the same bowler through mid-wicket for his sixth boundary. Compton, who was dropped at slip on 20, batted just under three hours for his fifty, which took up 147 balls.
When Critchley strayed down either side of the wicket, Compton came out of his self-imposed shell and nudged the ball three times to the boundary in quick succession. Suddenly, as the evening session progressed in bright sunshine, it was the turn of the Essex attack to suffer.
Bell-Drummond’s 10th four, chopped through the covers for three off Beard, took him to a 168-ball century, and also brought up the 150-run stand for the second wicket. A six over long leg followed by a full-toss for four off Critchley kept up Bell-Drummond’s dominance. Harmer also came in for similar treatment with another maximum disappearing into the far distance.
Compton reached his century on the last ball of the day, having batted for 237 minutes with 12 fours.
Essex had batted on for 70 minutes in the morning, adding 109 runs, losing just the wicket of Harmer and claiming full batting points before the declaration put Kent’s fielders and bowlers out of their misery. Only George Garrett, who took 2-80, went at less than four runs an over.
Critchley made hay, hitting three sixes over long leg, one out of the ground, in his record knock while also sharing half-century partnerships on the day with Harmer and Snater. As the declaration approached Critchley and Snater put on 52 from 28 balls with the latter’s 26 coming off just 16 balls.
The only bright moment for Kent during the morning was when 18-year-old spinner Jaydn Denly claimed a debut first-class wicket as Harmer advanced down the wicket, swiped expansively and was stumped.
