Hampshire 171-2 – trail by 114 runs

JOHN CRAWLEY’S fifth championship century of the summer helped Hampshire into a strong position on a rain-affected second day of Kent’s Festival Week championship clash.

On a wet, windy and thoroughly miserable Ladies Day in which rain and bad light led to the loss of 49 overs, Hampshire reached 171 for two with former England opener Crawley unbeaten on 106.

Crawley’s 140-ball hundred moved the visitors to within 114 of Kent’s first day total as Rob Key’s bowling attack put in a mixed performance in cold and testing conditions.

Amjad Khan, who removed his former team-mate Michael Carberry with his third ball of the game, fired on all cylinders for his 15 overs thereafter but without finding a telling length.

After the ball that removed Carberry, a virtually unplayable, in-swinging yorker, Khan bowled with great gusto but was guilty of over-doing the bouncer.

Dwayne Bravo, cutting a cold and miserable figure, sent down six, wicketless and wayward overs for 28, and while Martin Saggers and Tyron Henderson bent their backs, neither man looked threatening.

It all allowed the in-form Crawley to milk runs wherever he fancied, driving safely and within himself then rocking back for his favourite pull shot whenever Kent erred in length to hit 19 fours in his faultless hundred.

He teamed up with Jimmy Adams to add 145 in 44 overs for the second wicket, to which Adams contributed a stoic and instantly forgettable 39 in two hours and 10 minutes.

It took occasional seamer Darren Stevens to show how to get the best out of this unpredictable pitch as he got one to lift off a reasonably full length for Adams to snick to Rob Key in a fly gully position.

Sean Ervine helped Crawley see it through to the close but by then, the ladies hat competition had been judged and the ground was nigh on empty.

Scorecard

Kent first innings

D P Fulton lbw b Thornely 14
R W T Key c Carberry b Thornely 27
M van Jaarsveld b Tremlett 34
M J Walker c Warne b Mascarenhas 52
D I Stevens c Ervine b Tremlett 8
D Bravo c Warne b Ervine 31
G O Jones lbw b Warne 35
T Henderson c Ervine b Warne 59
A Khan not out 5
M M Patel c Ervine b Udal 1
M J Saggers b Warne 0

Extras 19

Total 285 all out after 93.4 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-38, 2-56, 3-114, 4-132, 5-173, 6-186, 7-277, 8-282, 9-285.

Bowling: Bruce 11-4-31-0, Tremlett 16-3-56-2, Thornely 17-2-62-2, Mascarenhas 19-10-29-1, Ervine 6-2-18-1, Warne 11.4-1-26-3, Udal 13-2-54-1.

Hampshire first innings

M A Carberry lbw b Khan 0
J H K Adams c Key b Stevens 38
J P Crawley not out 106
S M Ervine not out 7

Extras 12

Total 171 for two after 49 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-3, 2-148,

Bowling: Khan 16-3-45-1, Henderson 10-2-41-0, Bravo 6-1-28-0, Saggers 5-0-19-0, Stevens 9-4-23-1, Patel 9-3-11-0.

Bonus points: Kent 2pts, Hampshire 3pts.

* Mark Pennell's day three report will appear here at the close of play today.