Kent lead Lancashire by 105 after reaching 96 without loss at stumps in their second innings of their Rothesay County Championship match at Canterbury.

Earlier Lancashire were dismissed for 284 in their first innings, a deficit of nine, Matt Quinn taking four for 43 and Matt Parkinson four for 93.

Luke Wells hit 80 and although the visitors slumped to 195 for eight, Tom Hartley bailed them out with a 64, after he’d been dropped twice.

Kent’s openers Jaydn Denly and Ben Dawkins responded with an aggressive and unbroken partnership and the hosts will be the happier of the two sides at the end of the second day.

Lancashire were 19 without loss overnight and after yesterday’s collision with Ben Compton, Tawanda Muyeye developed delayed concussion symptoms. He was replaced by Joe Denly, in line with ECB protocols, although as a like-for-like replacement he wasn’t allowed to bowl. Compton himself hurt his wrist and was unable to field, or open.

Kent were buoyed by two early wickets. Matt Quinn struck in the fifth over of the morning, getting Jennings caught at first slip by Ben Dawkins for 17 and Josh Bohannon went for a fifth-ball duck, edging Joey Evison to Dawkins, who caught him at the second attempt.

Although the ball regularly beat the bat, Wells and Marcus Harris put on 82 for the third wicket, Parkinson breaking the partnership when the latter charged at him and was stumped by Harry Finch for 32, leaving Lancs on 118 for three at lunch.

The visitors regained the momentum until Matty Hurst played on to Quinn and was bowled for 24. Parkinson then had Wells caught behind.

Quinn caught and bowled Michael Jones for four, then got George Balderson lbw for 11.

When Parkinson had Tom Bailey caught by Jaydn Denly at first slip for three, Lancs were eight down and still 98 behind, but Hartley was dropped twice off Parkinson, by Finch and Mo Rizvi, and alongside Will Williams he steered Lancashire to 254 for eight at tea.

The deficit was down to 33 when Williams was lbw to Jaydn Denly, for 26, but Hartley responded by smearing Parkinson for six over midwicket to bring up his 50 and the visitors were almost level when he hit Parkinson down Ekansh Singh’s throat.

With Compton absent, Jaydn Denly and Dawkins immediately went on the attack. The former pulled Hartley for six over midwicket and passed fifty with an elegant reverse-sweep off Wells, shortly before stumps.

Dawkins survived a loud appeal in the final over, as Bailey bowled a tricky over of off-spin.

Kent’s Harry Finch said: “Yeah, it’s been good overall. I think if you’d given us that at the start of the day, we’d have 100 percent taken it. I think at one point we probably could have had a lead closer to 80 to 90 runs, so on that front, it was a little bit disappointing and we dropped a couple of catches. 

“But I think overall, we’re super proud and super pleased with our efforts today. We stuck at it really well and created chances throughout the whole day. And let’s not kid ourselves, they’re a really, really good team. So that was a really impressive display from us today.”

On Matt Quinn.

“It’s brilliant to see him bowling like that. He got a glimpse of it actually a few weeks ago in the 50-over game, and he got it through really nicely there. And yeah, so pleased to see him come back. And he’s led the group really well this week. And then to bowl like he did there, put his hand up in that middle session, took three wickets, has really changed the game. So I’m really pleased for him and I hope he’s really happy with his work.” 

(On the season in general)

“I think, obviously, yes, the table suggests that we haven’t had a great season, but there’s definitely been moments this year in every game where we’ve been on top or it’s been level. And we’ve just probably not been as good at driving home the times when we’ve been ahead. So hopefully, you know, this is one of those situations where we’re ahead and we can really drive that home. But we’ve come here and I’ve got no doubt about the talent in the group. Yes, on paper, we’ve got a really young team. And compared to their team, it’s far less experience. But I think you showed tonight with the way the two lads batted, the talent’s there. And yeah, hopefully we have a good day tomorrow and then see what happens.

On Ben Dawkins and Jaydn Denly opening:

Yeah, well Compo (Ben Compton), said that they were the youngest ever opening pair to have opened for Kent, which is a pretty cool thing. But I mean, you wouldn’t know they were 18, 19 years old. I think that’s the biggest compliment I can pay them both is that just at the age they’re at, and Ekansh as well, and Corey, they’ve done phenomenally in the 50-over stuff. And those two this evening, the way they played, the pressure they put back on the bowlers. Because 23 overs, that’s a tricky little spell to bat. And, you know, I’ve seen teams get four or five down in that spell. And for us to go four and a half and over for that whole session and really put the pressure back on them was great to see.

(On captaincy)

“I’m enjoying it, but I won’t be doing it full-time. I’m a supply teacher at the moment.”

Lancashire’s Luke Wells said: “It was disappointing, to be honest. It was nice to contribute and get a score, but we should be on top in this game. I think we collapsed pretty poorly, for different reasons and we didn’t quite get it right with the ball, although the two young boys played pretty well. It’s a good wicket, thee was a little bit of spin, but I thought we had an opportunity today to get ahead in this game.

“I think to be honest the standard so far at times has dropped down a little bit. Both teams had opportunities to put themselves in the box seat and there’s been basic errors made at times. I include myself in that, I wasn’t happy with how I got stuck in the crease there to Matt Parkinson. I think there’s been some poor errors and in games like that it only takes one or two people with the bat to wrestle momentum and get a team ahead.

“I still feel that we could chase a considerable amount on that surface if we get our heads right. I don’t think we will be chasing a lot because I feel like the guys have come hard and will get it right tomorrow I thought Tom got better a he bowled and I back us to come back strong tomorrow, get a couple of wickets and get amongst them.

“They obviously had a horrible collision in the first innings between Compton and Muyeye so I’m not sure if Compton’s batting or not, but I know Muyeye’s been subbed out for Joe Denly, who’s obviously still a very fine player, but they’ve had a bit of disruption in their team, so I think if we come with the right attitude tomorrow and deliver our skills the way we want to deliver we should be confident of wrestling back momentum and getting on top in this game.

“It’s the first red ball hit in a while, since Glamorgan at home so it was nice to spend some time in the middle. I’ve been away in The Hundred and it’s obviously a very different format. You don’t have the opportunity to build an innings with the amount of balls you face so I haven’t actually faced a considerable amount of balls in a while, so it was actually nice just to react to the ball, not have the pressure of scoring and get my eyes used to tracking the ball properly, getting some rhythm going and contribute to a score. On the flip side it’s probably stood me in good stead for Saturday as well.” (Finals Day)