Milestones are important to many cricketers, as became evident in the ‘storm in a teacup’ that almost broke the internet at the end of the recent test match between England and India. 

There were several recorded on day two when top played bottom in the Rothesay County Championship Division II as leaders Leicestershire visited Kent at Canterbury.

Hopes that Kent might wrap up the league leaders’ innings quickly proved to be unfounded. Starting the day two on 386 for 9 with number ten Tom Scriven on 39, and eleven Josh Hull on 12, they scored a further 85 runs, earning maximum batting bonus points.

Scriven’s team-mates on the balcony cheered when they thought that he had completed his first ever first class century only for the umpire to signal leg byes, the only ones of the entire innings.

Two balls later, he played back and missed a straight ball from Joey Evison giving the umpire little option other than to give him out Leg Before Wicket. Hull finished on 35, also a career best by some distance, in a last wicket partnership of 108.

Matt Parkinson should have claimed his first ever ‘eight for’ a little while earlier but Ben Compton failed to hold on to a catch that he ought to have taken on the boundary.

However, the Kent spinner still returned his second best ever figures of 7 for 137. Compton and Jaydn Denly then had to navigate a tricky twenty-two minutes before lunch and survived the five overs bowled to go in on eighteen without loss.

They carried along their merry way after lunch and when Compton pushed a single to reach 22, it meant he had reached 1,000 runs for the season.

Although this was not announced there was tumultuous applause from above the pavilion, and bemusement from many areas around the ground until other supporters cottoned on and joined in. One wag near the entrance gate even suggested that the commendation was due to 33 being the best opening partnership of the season. 

Denly continued until he was adjudged to be LBW to Louis Kimber. He didn’t appear to be too happy, it did look a little high, but how many cricketers are happy to walk off when they are given out that way?

That brought Ekansh Singh to the crease and the Bexley CC all-rounder, formerly of Dartford CC, crunched the first ball he received through extra cover for a boundary that was a thing of beauty.   

Those who like applauding milestones had a chance to get excited three times in Rehan Ahmed’s fifth over. First, Compton completed his half century, then, next ball Kent reached 100. Three balls later, Compton and Singh were clapped for their fifty partnership. 

All of the oohs and aahs from the fielders that followed nearly every delivery in the opening twenty to twenty five overs, even when hitting the middle of the bat, started to subside as Kent continued and they went into tea having lost just one wicket in the session.

There were few alarms other than when Josh Hull failed to hold a difficult chance off his own bowling offered up by Singh when his bat broke and his attempted pull lobbed up.

Immediately after tea Singh, who had looked so comfortable, fell for 33 with a miscue that floated straight to Scriven at mid-on off Ian Holland. That brought in Tawander Muyeye who also looked in fine touch.

He and Compton made further inroads into trying to reach then exceed the visitors’ total and another three milestone over from Ahmed appeared possible with six overs of the day remaining.

Number one was achieved when the two hundred mark was reached, however, it then went wrong. Muyeye tickled the next delivery behind to be caught by captain/wicket-keeper Peter Handscomb and he walked off disappointed with a jug avoidance score of 46.

Discussion then ensued amongst supporters on whether there would be a night-watchman, and who it would be while Compton awaited on 98 not out. Eventually, George Garrett joined him before Compton completed his personal milestone. He finished the day unbeaten on 101 with Garrett yet to get off the mark.

Kent’s Ben Compton said: “On a personal note it was very nice, I’m very chuffed and it was a real grind. They played really well in their first innings and kept us out there longer than we’d hoped in the morning so credit to them I suppose and there’s a lot of learnings we can take from that, but yeah, obviously I’m very pleased.

“I tried to get stuck in and everyone got a start there. Tawanda, Jaydn and Ekansh all played well. It was a pity that they couldn’t go on but I feel like I tried to do m job, prolong the game and take us into tomorrow in a deeper position.

(On being the senior player at 31) “I’m 31 and I’m feeling it too! But no, they’re all very talented and I’m sure they’ve got very exciting careers ahead of them. I think where we are in the season, certainly in the championship, we can use these opportunities as real learning opportunities for them to get a taste of first-class cricket and then be in scenarios where you’re learning at a rapid rate so I’m sure they’re soaking it all up.

“I was really pleased when I got that contract over the line, it’s something I’d been fighting for and yeah I’ve enjoyed the year, on a personal note I’ve played well but it’s been tough as a team and I think we’re in a position where we can now start formulating a future. There’s a lot of good stuff happening behind the scenes and hopefully that will come to fruition during the winter and moving on.

(On tomorrow’s grim forecast). “I didn’t know about the weather. Harry Finch is sort of a failed weatherman, that’s why he became a county cricketer so he’s always on about the weather and telling me what’s happening but we’ll see, you don’t wan to get ahead of yourself, we’ll play the first half hour tomorrow and that’s my focus. If George Garrett and I can stuck in early that’ll hopefully put us in a good position.”