Day two of the Rothesay County Championship Division two match between Kent and Worcestershire at Canterbury was enthralling with neither team getting totally on top.

At the start of day two, the visitors were on 80 for 2 after bowling Kent out for 238 with early wickets sought by Daniel Bell Drummond’s team. They weren’t forthcoming immediately, but after Dan Lategan and Adam Hose had put on 99, Matt Milnes got one to nip back, the opener left it, and his off stump was flattened for 59.

That opened up an end and Grant Stewart sent back Brett D’Oliveira, caught at second slip. Then, having just reached his half century, Hose was caught behind off Keith Dudgeon. When Henry Cullen was adjudged LBW to Dudgeon, four wickets had fallen for twenty-seven runs and Kent went into lunch feeling that they were well in the match. Worcestershire may still have held a slight advantage, though, at 180 for 6.

That advantage looked to have dissipated when Hasan Mahmud took a wicket soon after lunch, removing Matthew Waite’s middle stump with one that may have kept a little low. Milnes then had Tom Taylor caught behind, and Kent’s tails were up. Former Kent bowler, Beyers Swanpoel drove Milnes fiercely to point and Dudgeon held the palm stinger without fuss then Mahud pinned Adam Finch in front and the visitors were bowled out for 217, twenty-one runs behind. Mahud finished with 4 for 68, Milnes 3 for 52, Dudgeon 2 for 43, and Stewart 1 for 14. Unusually, there was not a single bowling extra in either team’s first knock.

Ben Compton departed without scoring but Zak Crawley (29) and Sam Northeast (21) completed a half century partnership before going in to tea at 51 for 1. They continued into the evening session, although not untroubled totally on a track that still offered challenges, and Crawley reached his fifty from 78 balls including eight boundaries. His innings ended when he feathered an attempted hook and was caught behind for 54.

Northeast was joined by Tawanda Muyeye and the number three bat completed his half century off 103 deliveries with five fours. Muyeye then edged Swanpoel into the slips for 23 and first innings fifty maker Daniel Bell Drummond strode into the middle. Just before 6:30, spin was introduced for the first time of the day with D’Oliveira turning his arm over.

There were no further alarms and play finished at 18:47 with Kent on 198 for 3. Northeast was unbeaten on 96, and Bell Drummond was 17 not out.