At the end of the second day's play at Canterbury Somerset's county championship match against high flying Kent is balanced slightly in favour of the hosts as they ended the day 220 runs ahead with five second innings wickets remaining.

Starting the day on 64 for 2, the Cidermen's overnight batsmen Matt Wood and Peter Bowler took the score onto 124 before their invaluable 117 run partnership was broken.

The oldest and youngest players in the side had batted defiantly, and both ended with thoroughly deserved half centuries, 21 year old Matt Wood with 55 and his senior partner, 39 year old Peter Bowler, with 50.

From that point there was little else to cheer about in the innings apart from a late flurry of runs from Richard Johnson who hit an unbeaten 49, as Somerset were all out for 227 in the 71st over.

With a lead of 44 runs Kent got off to a steady start in their second innings, but after losing Matthew Walker on 49 to Matt Bulbeck, Andy Caddick struck a major blow when he accounted for David Fulton who gave a catch to Rob Turner, to make Kent 79 for 2.

Andrew Symonds and Ed Smith took the White Horse county past the hundred before with the score on 108 Richard Johnson accounted for Symonds.

Johnson's pace partner Andy Caddick claimed two more victims in quick succession as Kent slipped to 115 for 5, but Ed Smith(54) and Mark Ealham(35) batted out the remaining overs to see the hosts to 176 for 5 by the close of play.

At the end of play Somerset coach Kevin Shine told me: "It's been a hard day for us. We were a bit disappointed that we didn't get more runs, but both Matt Wood and Peter Bowler batted well. We lost our way a bit in the middle but then at the end Richard Johnson went out and played a typical innings and scored valuable runs for us."

The coach continued: "This afternoon the sun has come out and the wicket seems to have flattened out a bit. Both `Caddy' and `Johnno' have bowled well and built up some good pace, but tomorrow morning we will need to take some quick wickets."

© SOMERSET