By Geoffrey Dean at Canterbury
First day of four: Somerset 233-6 v Kent
IN Septembers gone by, teams lying ninth and 10th, as these two are, might have been going through the motions with little to play for. But with a place in next year's Super Cup at stake, there was not the slightest sense of 'end-of-term-itis', even if a truncated day felt distinctly autumnal.
Indeed, Somerset, generally short of runs this season, batted with staunch determination and discipline after another sticky start. Mark Lathwell got his head down to make his first hundred for two years, combining with Michael Burns to paper over the early cracks with a fourth-wicket stand of 164 in 48 overs.
But the loss of three wickets in the last 20 minutes, two to excellent slip catches, returned the advantage to Kent, whose bowlers were rewarded for their perseverance on a good pitch with decent carry.
Lathwell profited not just from a relative paucity of seam movement, but also from a very strong cross-wind that disinclined the ball to swing. But his shot selection could not be faulted as he punched his way to 106 in four hours with 17 fours.
Burns, missed when 43 by Alan Wells at first slip off Matthew Fleming, impressed with some of his off-side shots en route to 69 from 146 balls. Fleming eventually slid one back through his defences just as he had done to remove Peter Bowler.
Two notable catches from Fleming had given Kent early encouragement. The England one-day all-rounder helped to remove Piran Holloway and Marcus Trescothick cheaply. He held Holloway at cover point, before pulling off an even better catch one-handed diving to his right - to account for Trescothick.
Day 2: Headley in fine fettle
By Geoffrey Dean at Canterbury
Second day of four: Kent (17-1) trail Somerset (342) by 325 runs
A DAY on which play did not begin until 2.50pm provided some notable personal statistics. Dean Headley claimed his 50th first-class victim of the season with his second six-wicket haul this summer; Matthew Fleming moved to his highest wickets total in a year for Kent, 38; and Rob Turner passed fifty for the first time since July 1.
Kent coach, John Wright, is full of praise for Headley's form in the last two months and believes he will do well in Australia this winter. On a relaid pitch with good pace and bounce, Headley hit Steve Marsh's gloves hard. Yesterday, he ended Matt Bulbeck's stubborn knock with a perfect yorker from around the wicket and then uprooted Andy Caddick's off peg with a jaffa that started life on middle.
Caddick wandered off shaking his head, completely confounded by the sort of delivery that has brought Headley 51 wickets this season at the excellent rate of one every 44 balls. Moreover, they have been taken at an average of only 19.
Headley is one of only three fit seamers on the Kent staff at present. Somerset cashed in to reach 342, a figure that seemed unlikely when they resumed at 233 for six. Three dropped slip catches helped prolong the Somerset innings, the last coming when Carl Hooper missed Turner on 49. He completed a worthy fifty from 110 balls.
Kent, left with an awkward seven overs, lost Dave Fulton to a brilliant one-handed catch at backward short leg to give Andre van Troost a seventh wicket this summer.
Day 3: Caddick passes his milestone
By Geoffrey Dean at Canterbury
Somerset (342) bt Kent (86 & 210) by an innings & 46 runs
ANOTHER wonderful performance from Andy Caddick, who took 10 of the 19 Kent wickets to fall yesterday, carried him past 100 first-class wickets this summer, all of them in the County Championship. Not since Neil Foster in 1991 had an England-qualified bowler performed the feat, the last bowler to manage it being Anil Kumble in 1995.
Carl Hooper was Caddick's 100th victim, caught in the gulley by Michael Burns, prompting whooping and cheering as the Somerset side engulfed their fast bowler. Tom Cartwright was the last Somerset bowler to take 100 championship wickets in a season, in 1971, although in 1978 Ian Botham's combined aggregate of Test and county victims exceeded three figures.
Kent's batting was awful, particularly in the first innings when they were all out in 27.4 overs. But Caddick and Andre Van Troost were outstanding on a pitch offering lift and little movement. The Kent batsmen, Robert Key apart, were reluctant to get forward and suffered accordingly.
Van Troost was generally quicker than Caddick and proved highly effective with his predominantly around-the-wicket angle of attack to right and left-handers. He won an lbw appeal against Hooper only because a rapid delivery hit him full-pitch on the boot. Van Troost's six match wickets doubled his tally for the season while Graham Rose went to 50.
Caddick exhibited remarkable stamina, bowling all morning, apart from 10 minutes between the innings, and then carrying on for another 40 minutes after lunch. In the second innings, he got the ball to swing, passing the edge on countless occasions. Only Key looked convincing until Caddick bowled him with an unplayable delivery that straightened.