Day 2: Ealham seizes his chance
By Neil Hallam at Leicester
Second day of four: Kent (109-6) lead Leics (103) by six runs
OPENER David Fulton, with a hard-earned 44 in 48 overs, played the only innings of substance as Kent claimed a six-run lead on a day when 16 wickets fell for 212 runs to invoke a mandatory report on the pitch to Lord's.
The pitch, which had sweated under the covers throughout a washed-out first day, offered enough movement off the seam to defeat even the wary and there was also evidence of variable bounce as Leicestershire were all out for 103 in 52 overs and Kent took 50 overs to get their noses in front.
These conditions were ripe for exploitation by the medium pace of Mark Ealham and he did not scorn the chance to redeem a meagre start to the season with five for 23 in 18.4 overs - a sharp upturn in his fortunes after claiming only one wicket in 81 previous overs in first-class matches.
Vince Wells and Darren Maddy, whose championship aggregate of 76 contrasts starkly with one of 624 in the Benson and Hedges Cup, were both beaten off the pitch and Leicestershire were in steep decline when Ben Smith edged to third slip in Ealham's first over.
Iain Sutcliffe was the victim of Dean Headley's direct hit from cover and Phil Simmons's desperation to get off the mark, leaving Leicestershire at 37 for four and prompting the West Indian to hit four fours in two overs by way of contrition before carving a wide ball to point.
Paul Nixon was held off a top-edged pull and Leicestershire lasted only five more overs once Aftab Habib, who had restrained his stroke-playing instincts in making the top score of 23 in 29 overs, lost his off stump to Ealham.
It looked an even better toss for Kent to have won at 41 without loss in 13 overs but the introduction of Lewis, with two wickets in his second over, renewed the supremacy of ball over bat.
Robert Key was bowled off an inside edge, Trevor Ward was dislodged by one which seemed to gather pace off the pitch and when Carl Hooper and Alan Walls also perished cheaply Kent were even more reliant on the three hours of diligence Fulton provided before left-arm-spinner Matt Brimson trapped him half forward and across.