Kent v Derbyshire: Day four match report

Key takes Kent to a draw

Rob Key’s unbeaten half-century helped Kent bat out for a draw in their rain-affected fourth day at Canterbury.

Kent banked nine points to Derbyshire’s 11, with Derbyshire opting to extend their overall lead to 364 before declaring on 256 for four soon after lunch.

Having been set a final afternoon winning target of 365 from a minimum 58 overs, Kent reached 94 for two between the rain breaks before shaking hands on a draw at 5pm.

Key anchored the innings with 59 not out from 78 balls, his second-best score of thechampionship to date, while Martin van Jaarsveld finished on an unbeaten 12.

After a break for rain, Kent re-grouped through Key and Sam Northeast to add 61 for their second wicket before Northeast, in aiming to leg-glance against Tony Palladino, edged through to the wicketkeeper to fall for 21.

The last day started with Derbyshire’s first-innings centurions Wayne Madsen and Usman Khawaja back in tandem as Derbyshire resumed on their overnight score of 85 for one.

Khawaja, reached 36 before he became his side’s first casualty when edging a defensive push against Azhar Mahmood to the wicketkeeper. Madsen reached 71 from 111 balls before failing to get on top of a cut shot at Neil Saker and picking out Sam Northeast at point. Dan Redfern and Wes Durston then featured in a fourth-wicket stand of 93 in 21.1 overs, each ultimately scoring a fifty from 61 and 88 balls respectively.

Redfern went soon after lunch after the left-hander skied a leg-side slog against James Tredwell to make it 236 for four. Luke Sutton’s declaration followed 30 runs on and just after Durston had reached his half-century.

Photo by Sarah Ansell fromSarahCanterbury.com