Day 2 – Kent trail by 339 runs.
Tom Prest’s century and Kyle Abbott’s wickets has Kent on the verge of relegation from Division One
Tom Prest made a century for Hampshire  •  Getty Images
Kent 64 for 5 (Compton 24*, Abbott 3-23) trail Hampshire 403 (Prest 102, Vince 88, Wheal 61) by 339 runs
Kent’s Division One status is dangling by a thread after a dismal second day against Hampshire in the Vitality County Championship at Canterbury.
The hosts slumped to 64 for 5 for in reply to Hampshire’s first innings total of 403, with Kyle Abbott claiming 3 for 23.
What had looked like an even contest at the end of day one tilted drastically in Hampshire’s favour during the morning session. Tom Prest hit a majestic 102, and Brad Wheal chipped in with his highest first-class score of 61 as Hampshire were finally dismissed for 403. Kent could be relegated this week if they lose and results elsewhere go against them. They still trail by 339 at stumps.
The visitors began day two on 213 for 7 and looked comfortable for the first hour until Joey Evison came on from the Nackington Road End and removed Abbott for 26, victim of a brilliant slip catch by Jack Leaning.
Prest, who only had 15 at the start of play, responded by dumping Matt Parkinson into the Old Dover Road hedges to bring up his fifty and he took 21 from the over.
He then reached his 100 from exactly 100 balls by dropping to one knee and smearing Charlie Stobo for six over deep midwicket before he finally fell to the same bowler after a juggling catch from Jas Singh on the deep midwicket boundary.
Even the last wicket pair put on 71. Wheal twisted the knife with an aggressive cameo that included a pulled six off Singh, and it was 377 for 9 when rain ushered in the lunch break.
Wheal was stuck on 49 for 15 balls before he nudged Parkinson for a single and he then clubbed Stobo for a six over square leg to take Hampshire past 400 before he was bowled playing on to Stobo.
Kent’s response was all too predictable. Mohammad Abbas strangled Tawanda Muyeye, who was perhaps unfortunate to be given caught behind for five at the start of Kent’s sixth over.
Abbott then took three wickets in five balls. Daniel Bell-Drummond went first in the 11th over, caught for ten by Fletcha Middleton, a ball after he’d been dropped by Prest. Jack Leaning and Joe Denly then both went for second-ball ducks, the former caught by Albert, the latter lbw to a ball that hit him above the knee roll.
Joey Evison made 21 before Wheal had him caught behind but the hosts were spared further punishment when play was suspended at 4.34pm due to a combination of bad light and increasingly heavy rain, which persuaded the umpires there was no realistic chance of resuming.
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