Darren Stevens hit his first century of the season as Kent’s batsmen moved them into a strong position on day two of their game with Gloucestershire.

40-year-old Stevens, in his benefit year at club, reached three figures for the first time in 2016 as he made an unbeaten 121 to help his side to 346/4 when play was ended early due to bad light. Sam Billings was also not out when stumps were drawn for the day, having made 86 after notching his first County Championship half-century of the season.

Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sam Northeast also registered half-centuries as Kent ended the day 125 runs ahead of their hosts, and in ann excellent position to register a vital Division Two victory with two days remaining in Bristol.

After bowling Gloucestershire out for 221 on the first day, Kent’s reply did not get off to the ideal start when Sean Dickson was out in the first over of the day; lbw to David Payne for a golden duck failing to offer a shot.

Joe Denly made a patient 6 from 29 balls before he became the second wicket to fall, edging Liam Norwell behind to Phil Mustard. Kent were 28/2 at that stage, with Bell-Drummond and Northeast digging in together either side of lunch to steady their side after the two early dismissals.

The pair had added 98 together when Bell-Drummond fell, shortly after bringing up his seventh 50+ score of this County Championship campaign. With 65 to his name, he edged Matt Taylor behind to Mustard to see Kent 126/3, still trailing the home side by 95.

The same bowler accounted for Kent skipper Northeast, too. The 26-year-old became the first Kent batsman to register 1,000 County Championship runs for the season on his way to 54, before he edged Taylor to Michael Klinger at slip.

Billings, promoted up the order to five, came together with Stevens with the score on 141/4, and immediately began to counter-attack. They added 98 together inside 20 overs before the tea interval, to take the score to 239/4 at the break, with Kent already in the lead by that stage.

They continued to push on in the evening session, punishing the Gloucestershire bowling at every opportunity. Stevens overtook his teammate as they pushed towards their three-figure scores, and brought up the 30th century of his First Class career from 114 balls.

Stevens’ innings had featured 14 fours and two sixes, and was well-deserved after the all-rounder had produced a number of important knocks for his side in recent weeks. His contract is set to expire at the end of this season, and his new one is yet to be confirmed. He stated his desire to stay at Kent when KSN caught up with him at the end of last week’s Royal London One Day Cup quarter-final with Yorkshire.

The pair had added an unbroken 205 for the fifth wicket, extending Kent’s lead to 125, when the players left the field for bad light shortly after 5:30pm, with no further play possible on the second day.

Kent will look to kick on on day three tomorrow, with Billings targeting the second County Championship of his career. A useful victory in Kent’s promotion push is well and truly on the cards if the side continue to make progress in the morning.

Specsavers County Championship Division Two, Gloucestershire v Kent at Bristol, Aug 23-26 2016:

Stumps, day two: Kent 346/4 (Stevens 121 not out, Billings 86 not out, Bell-Drummond 65, Northeast 54) lead Gloucestershire 221 all out (Marshall 58; Viljoen 5-55) by 125 runs.

Gloucestershire: Roderick*, Dent, Tavaré, Klinger, Marshall, Mustard†, J Taylor, Miles, Payne, Norwell, M Taylor

Kent: Bell-Drummond, Dickson, Denly, Northeast*, Stevens, Billings†, Gidman, Tredwell, Coles, Claydon, Viljoen

Toss uncontested, Kent elected to field

Full scorecard available here.

Photograph courtesy of Sarah Ansell Photography