Kent are set to face another big first-innings deficit against Hampshire in County Championship Division 1 despite half-centuries for Feroze Khushi and Jack Leaning on Monday.
Hampshire captain James Vince showcased the very best of his batting to go from 149 overnight to 211.
He declared on 505-8 after attacking duo James Fuller’s 41 and Keith Barker’s 43 before Barker (3-49), Mohammad Abbas (2-59) and Kyle Abbott (1-53) chipped away.
Khushi and Leaning bagged contrasting 50s for the visitors but they ended the day still 299 runs behind on 206-6.
Vince had turned the shape of day one with a mesmerising century and came out for a swaggering encore. He reached 150 with the third ball of the day via the first of eight cover drives.
It was the kind of Vince innings which had it taken place a decade ago would have created a clamour for an England call-up. But, despite 1000 runs last season and back-to-back hundreds, his Test days appear behind him.
Ben Brown took his partnership with Vince to 259 – Hampshire’s all-time best against Kent for the fourth wicket – before inside edging onto his pads to loop to second slip before Liam Dawson was bowled by Joey Evison (4-83).
Despite Vince’s prowess, this was the first time since 2018 that he had scored two Championship centuries in a season and he continued to smash the ball around Utilita Bowl.
His 200 came up in 262 balls with only Phil Mead, Gordon Greenidge and Jimmy Adams scoring more doubles for Hampshire.
Vince was only quelled on 211 when the tireless Grant Stewart (3-78) found the shoulder of the bat through to second slip.
James Fuller and Keith Barker took on Vince’s mantel and further upped the run-rate with some aggressive batting either side of lunch. The pair put on an entertaining 69, both crashing scores in the 40s to keep Kent’s bowlers in the dirt.
Both were bowled before Vince called Felix Organ and Kyle Abbott in after an unbroken 35-run partnership.
Khushi, on loan from Essex, was eye-catching in reply. Whether it was the shot-a-ball knock, having the ball thrown at him by Abbas – who was docked five penalty runs – or insisting that a ball hadn’t carried to third slip.
The piece de resistance was a see-it-to-believe-it whipped six over square leg on his way to a 38-ball 50.
But wickets kept falling. Ben Compton was leg before in the third over to Barker while Abbas ended his first four overs having gone for 31 but hit back with a snorter to have captain Daniel Bell-Drummond caught behind in a wicket maiden.
Khushi fell over a full Barker delivery, Evison edged Abbas behind before Barker picked up his third when Tawanda Muyeye dangled to Ben Brown.
But throughout, Leaning bedded in and found little problem to slowly take his side away from a complete collapse. His 50 came in 89 balls and he ended the day unbeaten on 73.
Harry Finch was sharply caught and bowled by Abbott off the day’s final delivery, however, with Kent miles from avoiding the follow-on.
“It was quite tricky conditions against a very good attack,” said Khushi. “It’s my debut so there were a little bit of nerves – as you want to do well.
“I wanted to get the team into a good position and start well, and I think we did that, but then we lost some wickets.
“We need to dig hard tomorrow and losing that wicket at the end wasn’t ideal. It’s a good cricket wicket and, if you get a bad ball you can definitely put it away, once you get in on it you get more confident. Tomorrow morning’s session is going to be important. We have a long way to climb, so we need to be positive.
“I played a similar innings to this for Essex against Lancashire and it came off. It might not look the prettiest but, sometimes. you have to adapt.
“I’m disappointed not to push on after tea as I was eyeing up a big one.
“I was feeling in a good rhythm and wanted to be positive.
“The last thing I want to do is let the bowlers bowl to me and dictate things.”
