Citizen Sport

Red Rose stung by Stevens

8:40am Thursday 19th August 2010

Kent’S unlikely all-rounder Darren Stevens grabbed three wickets in 13 balls on a dramatic opening day in Canterbury as the hosts closed on 53-2 in reply to Lancashire’s 266 all out.

Military medium at best, right-armed Stevens sent down three successive wicket maidens just before lunch to derail a promising start the Red Rose’s first innings.

Seemingly set fair at 55-0, Lancashire then lost four wickets for one run in the space of 31 balls as Kent’s seamers took advantage of some late morning cloud cover.

Lancashire re-grouped during the afternoon with contrasting half-centuries from Steven Croft (65) and Sajid Mahmood (60), but Stevens’ haul of 3-33, coupled with two wickets apiece for Simon Cook, Matt Coles and Amjad Khan ensured Kent were batting by 5pm.

Having been offered a life at second when on nought, Kent captain Rob Key reached eight from 29 balls when waft flew to Tom Smith at second slip.

Then, just before stumps, Sam Northeast walked across his stumps against Glenn Chapple to go lbw for a fourth-ball duck leaving Kent to go into the second day trailing by 213.

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