Ben Compton led Kent’s resistance on day two of their Rothesay County Championship Division 2 match against leaders Leicestershire in Canterbury on Wednesday.
The visitors posted 471 all out after a final-wicket stand of 108 runs between Tom Scriven, who slapped Kent’s bowlers around to make a career-high 99, and Josh Hull, whose 35 not out was also his highest first-class score.
Opener Compton, however, replied to make his 18th first-class century and he was 101 not out when bad light stopped play, with Kent 203-3 – a deficit of 268 runs – at the close.
Compton reflected: “It’s, obviously, very nice. I’m very chuffed.
“It was certainly a real grind.
“They played really well in their first innings and kept us out there longer than we had hoped in the morning so credit to them, I suppose. There’s a lot of learning we can take from that.
“Obviously, I’m very pleased. I tried to get stuck in and there were good signs.
“Everyone got a start there, didn’t they? Young Ekansh and Jaydn played well – it was a pity they didn’t go on.
“But I felt like I did my job there, prolonged the game and took us into tomorrow in a decent position.”
Leicestershire had been 386-9 overnight and quickly secured a fourth batting bonus point when Scriven swept Matt Parkinson (7-137) for four.
Scriven was on 70 when he was dropped by Ekansh Singh at cow corner after mowing a Joey Evison (2-54) full toss and No.11 Hull took them past 450 when he drove Parkinson for four.
Parkinson was denied what would have been a career-best eighth wicket when Compton somehow dropped Hull at mid-wicket.
If that suggested Scriven’s luck was in, he missed out on his century in agonising fashion.
The four which took him to 98 fell just short of the rope; he was on 99 when the batters ran two and the crowd were already applauding, only for the umpires to signal leg byes. Two balls later, he was plumb lbw to Evison.
Kent survived five dicey overs to reach lunch on 18 without loss but Jaydn Denly was then lbw for 20 to Louis Kimber (1-21).
Singh got a life when he was on 22. He tried to pull Hull (0-22), who nearly had him caught and bowled, only to drop a head high chance.
Compton reached 1,000 runs this term when he passed 23, eased to 50 with two off Rehan Ahmed (1-46) and Kent were 117-1 at tea.
Singh went for 33 in the first over after the resumption, driving Ian Holland (1-29) straight to Scriven at mid-on and, with so many young players in Kent’s side, the third-wicket partnership between senior players Compton and Tawanda Muyeye always looked like being vital.
The former’s battle with Ahmed was gripping, especially in the 90s, as he missed out on a rank long hop and then might have been run-out but for a misfield.
He was stuck on 99 at the other end when Ahmed produced a sharp turning delivery that found Muyeye’s edge and was caught by captain and wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb for 46.
George Garrett was sent in as the night watchman and he blocked the rest of the over before Compton stole a single off Ben Green (0-18) at the start of the 68th over to reach three figures.
That was the final meaningful action before the light deteriorated and the players went off with two overs remaining.
