Zak Crawley hit 91 to put Kent in a strong position at the end of day two of their County Championship game with Northamptonshire at Canterbury. The visitors were reduced to 47-2 in their second innings, still trailing by 58 at stumps after the hosts secured a first-innings advantage of 105. Crawley was by some distance the top scorer in a game otherwise dominated by the bowlers. Chris Tremain took 5-44 and Jack White 4-57 as Kent were all out for 222, while earlier Matt Quinn claimed 4-25 as Northamptonshire were bowled out for 117 in their first innings.

Only 26 overs were bowled on day one and although the weather had improved drastically when Northamptonshire resumed on 89-7, batting did not seem any easier as Quinn struck with the second ball of the morning, getting James Sales lbw for five. Gareth Berg went down fighting, hitting three successive fours off Michael Hogan and he put on 32 with Tremain, but the highest partnership of the innings ended when Quinn had the latter caught behind for nine. With his next delivery Quinn bowled White for a golden duck, leaving Berg stranded on 21.

Kent's openers Ben Compton and Crawley put on 42 for the first wicket, but the former was caught behind for 25, leaving the hosts on 50-1 at lunch. The home side advanced to 90-1 when Tremain revived the visitors with two wickets in three balls. Daniel Bell-Drummond fell for 27 to a catch by Josh Cobb at short fine leg and Joe Denly was lbw for a second-ball duck.

Crawley steered Kent into the lead and reverse-swept Rob Keogh to reach 49, before pulling the same bowler to backward square leg for three to reach his half-century, but White then responded with two quick wickets. Jack Leaning was lbw for 26 before Jordan Cox edged the third ball he faced down the leg side to Lewis McManus for five.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP