Relegation-threatened Kent had to endure the ordeal of a final day follow-on before emerging from the rain-ruined LV= Insurance County Championship match against Somerset at Taunton with a potentially valuable draw.
The visitors were bowled out for 235 after Somerset had declared their first innings total on an overnight 404 for four, Joe Denly making a priceless 73 to guide his side from a perilous 31 for four. Skipper Tom Abell was the pick of the home bowling attack with four for 52, while Lewis Gregory claimed three for 49.
Trailing by 169 and faced with a possible 41 overs in their second innings, Kent made a better fist of things and were 44 for two when the players shook hands at 4.30pm. They took six points from the game and Somerset 12.
The home side’s decision to declare on their overnight total robbed Tom Kohler-Cadmore of the chance to break Sir Viv Richards’ record for the fastest first class century scored by a home player at Taunton – 48 balls against Glamorgan in 1986. The former Yorkshire player was left unbeaten on 68, off 31 deliveries, having struck 8 sixes and 2 fours.
But the declaration also offered the hosts their only chance of winning the game. And it soon looked more than an outside bet as Kent lost four wickets in the first 10.3 overs of the day, Gregory claiming three of them from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End.
The experienced all-rounder had Ben Compton caught behind pushing forward, Daniel Bell-Drummond pouched at mid-wicket off a full toss and Jack Leaning leg-before in a seven-over opening spell of three for 30 that included four no-balls.
Jack Brooks, on his final Somerset appearance, weighed in with the wicket of Tawanda Muyeye, well caught low down by Andy Umeed at second slip and there was clear evidence of help for the seamers in a pitch that retained a tinge of greenness.
The number of times Kent batsmen played and missed offered evidence that their own bowling attack had failed to capitalise on favourable first day conditions after skipper Leaning had won the toss.
The visitors’ need for batting points saw them bat positively in adversity, aided by an unusually wayward three overs from Neil Wagner, which cost 32 runs, mainly due to over-pitching. Denly and Harry Finch added 54 in 10.1 overs before the latter nicked a drive off seamer Abell through to wicketkeeper James Rew.
Denly was severe on anything around half-volley length, producing a string of well-timed straight and cover drives to move to 40 by lunch, which was taken at 110 for five.
The afternoon session began well for Kent with Marcus O’Riordan providing good support for Denly, who went to a precious half-century off 74 balls, with 8 fours. The pair built on the score with increasing confidence and had added 71 in 17.2 overs when O’Riordan fell lbw moving across his stumps to a delivery from Abell.
Still it seemed Kent might avoid the follow-on and perhaps notch a batting point until a clatter of wickets with the total on 200 saw Abell gain another leg-before decision to remove Denly before striking again four balls later, bowling Jas Singh for a duck.
With no addition to the score, Joey Evison, who had batted well for his 23, pulled a short ball from Wagner to Tom Banton at square-leg. Michael Hogan, injured bowling on the first day, walked out with a runner and contributed 19 to a last-wicket stand of 35 with Arafat Bhuiyan before having his stumps scattered by Abell, who had been prevented from bowling by a side problem for much of the season.
Tea was taken before Compton and Muyeye launched the Kent follow-on, knowing their side had garnered only one bonus point from the match and desperate to ensure five for the draw.
There was greater assurance to their batting in bright sunshine, but with the total on 34 in the 11th over Davey had Muyeye well caught by the diving Abell at third slip for 24. Compton edged a ball from Wagner that left him through to Rew, but by then the draw was inevitable and after one over from occasional spinner Banton the players shook hands.
Somerset captain Tom Abell said: “It was a shame for Tom Kohler-Cadmore that we decided to declare this morning because he had the chance of a Somerset record, but he is first and foremost a team man and understood that it was our only chance of winning.
“Taking 20 wickets in a day on what was basically a good pitch was always going to be tough, but the bowlers performed really well and overall there were a lot of positives to take out of the match for us.
“We lost two days to the weather, but this morning we felt we could put Kent under pressure and that’s how it turned out.
“It was great to see Tom Lammonby and Lewis Goldsworthy score hundreds. Lewis has had to be patient in awaiting an opportunity this season and all we could ask was that he took it in the manner he did.
“After a disappointing effort at Hampshire in our last game we were determined to finish the season strongly and I couldn’t have asked for better response.
“Our first priority this week was to guarantee our safety in the First Division, but we wanted to go about it in a way that could win the game. The bowling effort today was awesome and a credit to all involved.”
Kent head coach Matt Walker said: “It was a messy week for us really, with the weather and the disappointing performance on day one, but in the end we have shown a good spirit.
“It’s not an easy game to evaluate. I actually thought we batted pretty well today, even though we couldn’t get beyond the follow-on mark.
“We saw some classic Joe Denly and his was a really important innings for us. He started the season like it was going to be a big one for him, but it hasn’t worked out that way and it was great to see him playing as we know he can.”
Looking forward to Kent’s final match at home to Lancashire when the Division One relegation battle will be settled, Walker said: “We must approach it as a game we have to win, whether or not that proves the case..
“Michael Hogan will not be available after his injury here, but we have two spinners fresh to come into the side and whoever plays we will need two or three big performances, preferably more.
“Sam Billings will be available, but that doesn’t mean he will be selected. Harry Finch has done really well for us and I don’t foresee many changes to the batting line-up.”