Following Kent’s brilliant performance in the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match at Merchant Taylors’ School in Hertfordshire against Middlesex, Daniel Bell-Drummond gave his thoughts.

“It was a really good game of cricket, and I think both sides were in it throughout.” he said. “Their lower order really came to the fore in both innings’, frustratingly for us, but credit to them, they made us think a bit. We had to try different options but it was one of those grounds that once you got in, it was a very quick scoring ground so you couldn’t really keep control of the scoreboard in the field, but the guys really stuck to their plans and I can’t credit them enough.

“Matt Milnes, Ekansh Singh, Quinny (Matt Quinn) and Keith Dudgeon as well, they all put a great effort in, and Matt Parkinson finished it off there at the back. He bowled very well throughout the game, not too many deliveries, but to finish like that was exceptional. I’m very happy.”

Continuing on Parkinson’s contribution, Bell-Drummond said “It was a weird one. Zafar Gohar got a couple of wickets for them in the third innings and once the game progressed, they (seam bowlers) were going to get more tired so there was always going to be a role from that to play but plan A was definitely seam on this wicket so for him to come and bowl like that at the end was exceptional, break the partnership, and bowl a brilliant delivery to get Noah Cornwell out.”

At lunchtime, Middlesex needed 51 more runs while Kent required two wickets. Bell-Drummond wasn’t over tense though. He said “The scoreboard will tell you that it was a tight game and they built a very good partnership so we knew that we had to break that partnership desperately, but I don’t think we were doing much wrong.

“We stuck to our plans. The guys were bowling straight; the wicket was a bit up and down. I think (Joe) Cracknell played very well in that partnership with Tom Helm. He put up some good resistance, but I think the luck was going to change however it was, whether it was the seamers getting one through LB or bowled, or whether it was Parky there. We did feel that there was some spin for him last night so that was definitely a plan and Matt Quinn’s spell probably went on for longer than we all thought because he bowled so well and his body was getting through, one more, one more, so Parky was probably going to come in earlier than it ended up to be honest.”

It was Quinn’s first championship match of the season, and Bell-Drummond was delighted with his performance “It’s so good to see him back.” he said. “He’s a class bowler and we all know that. He’s fought really hard the last couple of years to get himself right and there’s been a few times he’s got himself fit and something else has happened but I’m very happy for him and he’s shown his class. Going up the hill for pretty much all of his overs was top class. It’s so good to have him back, and fingers crossed, I hope that continues for him because a Matt Quinn, available and bowling like that is a top bowler.”

At lunch time there were ten overs remaining before the new ball was due, but Bell-Drummond knew that the game could not be allowed to drift until then. He explained his thinking “We stuck with the spin from one end and then we were just going to rotate Quinn, Dudgeon, and Milnes. Ekansh was struggling a bit down the hill so we probably would have gone Quinn and Milnes with the new ball. It was in our minds, but ten overs was a long time with fifty odd runs to go so the game could have been decided. We knew the game was going to be decided, either way, before that point.”

Looking back over the entire match, he was happy that everyone had contributed. He added “Zak (Crawley) and Sam Northeast played brilliantly (in the first innings). It’s so good to have Zak back. He looks in good touch as well and Sam Northeast showed his experience. He always tends to get runs on tough wickets.

“Second innings, Tawanda (Muyeye) and Ben Compton did really well. Again, in tough conditions against the newer ball. (Chris) Benjamin contributed in both innings so it was a good team performance with the bat and then the same with the ball. Quinny and Milnes will get the plaudits, but I think everyone chipped in. (Keith) Dudgeon took two important wickets in this innings as well as Matt Parkinson and, obviously, Ekansh got us started in the second innings, which was brilliant, because we were up against it a bit and for him to come on and take three wickets in that period was exceptional.”