Kent moved clear of their closest rivals in the Rothesay County Championship Division Two promotion race, with an 84-run win over Worcestershire at Canterbury.

The margin may suggest otherwise, but this was one of Kent’s most dogged wins of the season, ground out despite a century from Brett D’Oliveira. For long periods the Pears looked like chasing down the 380 they needed to win, but after they’d reached 265 for five, Keith Dudgeon took three wickets in 19 balls. Hasan Mahmud and Matt Milnes also took three wickets each, as the visitors’ last five wickets fell for just 30 runs, leaving D’Oliveira stranded on 103.

The win means Kent are now 15 points clear of third-placed Northamptonshire, with three matches remaining.

Worcestershire began the final day as heavy underdogs, on 84 for three, but the overnight duo of D’Oliveira and Adam Hose looked comfortable early on, until Hasan had the latter plumb on the back pad for 38.

Henry Cullen then joined D’Oliveira for a stand that took them to 199 for four at lunch.

Their partnership of 86 was broken when Hasan switched to the Nackington Road End and bowled Cullen for 45 with the fourth ball of the afternoon session, but the momentum again swung behind Worcestershire as Waite joined D’Oliveira, who drove Dudgeon for two to bring up his century.

The duo looked comfortable until the game turned on its head when Waite chopped on to Dudgeon for 37. The South African overseas player seemed a bowler revived, subsequently trapping Tom Taylor with one that jagged back with the final ball of the session, to make it 283-7 at tea.

Dudgeon went round the wicket to Beyers Swanepoel for the first ball after the resumption and sent his leg stump flying for a golden duck.

Hasan then took the new ball and got Ben Allison lbw for a duck, before Milnes wrapped things up when he replaced Dudgeon at the Nackington Road End and had Adam Finch caught by Tawanda Muyeye at second for seven.

Speaking after an excellent victory, Adam Hollioake said: “I was really happy because I think probably our first session with the ball there was probably the worst we’ve bowled in probably 4, 5 or 6 games maybe. I don’t think we’ve bowled as poorly as that in a session for a while, but I loved the way they got it together at lunchtime and had a chat amongst themselves and put it right after lunch.

“That to me was probably the most pleasing thing as a coach because they started to problem solve and work these things out for themselves. From that perspective it was fantastic and I think it was our best bowling performance.

“We’re starting to work really well as a unit. Grant Stewart’s 10 overs fell from this end when the ball was soft. Waiting to try and get to the new ball again was key. And then Keith Dudgeon, who’s kind of been struggling with the rhythm for a while now, getting a couple of crucial wickets when everything was against us.

“Those wickets for him definitely turned it around because he was struggling. His rhythm hasn’t been right since the Metro Bank. And I think what people at home don’t see is how hard he’s worked in training. He’s really frustrated with not being able to find his best rhythm. But I think the most impressive thing is that he’s kept trucking in, he’s kept turning up in training and he’s wanted to put it right.

“Worcester batted really well and they tested our character. when things got hard last year, I feel like we might have caved under the pressure. But this year, every time it’s got to that particular test of character, we’ve stood up and we’ve been able to win those moments. So today was just another example of that.”

Image courtesy of Kent Cricket