Date-stamped : 23 Jul95 - 22:27 Tour Match: Kent v West Indies Canterbury, 19, 20, 21 July 1995 ====> Day 1, 19 Jul 95 Kent spirits drop again - Geoffrey Dean First day of three: West Indians 337 v Kent THE West Indian batting remains as unpredictable as ever. After four overs, they were nought for two, yet 55 overs later they had galloped to 223 for two, thanks to a wonderful hundred from Stuart Williams and a surfeit of bad balls. Thereafter runs were a struggle against much tighter bowling, notably from Mark Ealham and Min Patel, although Kent greatly ex- tended their time in the field by dropping as many as six catches, three in seven balls soon after tea. Kent`s depression after three morale-sapping one-day defeats in the previous week received a temporary panacea at the start from Dr Julian Thompson, 26, who works at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in winter. Playing in only his third first-class match, he took two wickets in his first two overs. First, he bowled Sherwin Campbell via box and pad, and then he produced a good ball to dismiss Brian Lara, who edged one that seamed away up the hill. Lara`s search for his first hundred of the tour continues - to the disappointment of a big crowd, swelled by as many marquees as on Canterbury week. Williams played some glorious offside shots, turning the ball superbly throughout his 137 off 182 balls, 27 of which he hit for four. He was dropped at point when 54 off Martin McCague and again when 103 at mid-off off Patel. He eventually fell cutting. Jimmy Adams`s gritty, chanceless innings of 77 in nearly four hours was finally ended by a direct hit from mid-off by the sub- stitute, Nigel Llong. This fine piece of fielding, ghowever, was followed by some quite abysmal fare as Kent dropped both Shivna- rine Chanderpaul and Richie Richardson twice. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com) ====> Day 2, 20 Jul 95 De Silva bites the bullet for Kent - Geoffrey Dean Second day of three: Kent (95 & 307-8) lead West Indies (337) by 65 runs. AN extraordinary day, which began with Kent being dismissed in just 18.4 overs, was made even more memorable by Aravinda de Silva`s brilliant 102 after the West Indies had surprisingly en- forced the follow-on. His fifth hundred in his last seven first- class innings, reached off only 98 balls, ensured the game went into the third day - of huge relief to Kent, who would have lost up to #40,000 worth of corporate hospitality business today. As praiseworthy as de Silva`s effort was David Fulton`s 149-ball 89, his best score against opposition other than Cambridge University. Unfazed by the short stuff and showing a secure de- fence and clear ability to put away anything loose, his solidity was the all-important foil to de Silva in their fourth wicket partnership of 141 in 25 overs. Kent`s spinelessness before lunch was unlikely to be repeated, although when the impressive Vasbert Drakes dismissed both Trevor Ward and Matt Fleming in his first over to take a seventh wicket in 25 balls over two innings, a tea-time finish looked possible. Graham Cowdrey`s plucky 43 was important as it protected de Silva from the new ball. The Sri Lankan played the fast bowlers super- bly, hitting 4, 4, 6 off successive Ottis Gibson deliveries, and then taking three fours off another Gibson over. Kent`s morning collapse was the result of several poor shots and hostile bowling on an unusually bouncy pitch. Only Fleming, yorked, and Fulton were really got out. Drakes, deceptively quick for one neither tall nor powerful, bowled de Silva, his first first-class wicket for the West Indies. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com) ====> Day 3, 21 Jul 95 First pair for Lara clouds success - Geoffrey Dean West Indies (337 & 92-4) bt Kent (95 & 331) by 6 wkts WEST INDIES` inevitable victory came just before lunch, but it will not be remembered with much fondness by Brian Lara, who recorded what was thought to be his first pair. As in his first innings, the nasty medicine was administered by Dr Julian Thompson, who dismissed him second ball - lbw on the back foot working to leg. Lara`s lack of big runs on the tour, even though he is averaging 43, will be of mild concern to the tourists. Another topic exercising the West Indies` management, the fitness of Curtly Ambrose, will be less worrying as he seems to have recovered from his groin strain. He may not play against Middlesex but should be fit for the Old Trafford Test. Having quickly taken the last two Kent wickets yesterday, the West Indies` over-eagerness to finish the game quickly cost them wickets. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by The Management (help@*ogi.edu)