Alex Lees leads Durham dominance over Kent

Kent 96 for 3 (Finch 34, Ackermann 1-1) trail Durham 360 (Lees 144, Bedingham 66, Parkins 6-109)

A sparkling century from Alex Lees gave Durham the upper hand in their Vitality County Championship clash with Kent despite a six-wicket haul from Matt Parkinson.

Play was abandoned without a ball bowled on days one and two after heavy downpours at the Seat Unique Riverside, so Lees was on a mission to get quick runs with so much time lost in the game. Lees (144 off 180) was well backed up by Emilio Gay, who made 52, and David Bedingham, who made a swashbuckling 66, as the hosts made 360 in their first innings.

Matt Parkinson led a Kent fightback after tea as he picked up figures of 6 for 109 to give the visitors some hope.

Kent’s reply didn’t get off to the best start as they lost early wickets but Harry Finch and Jack Leaning combined for a partnership worth 72 to stall the hosts but they closed on 96 for 3, still 264 behind Durham.

Kent captain Leaning won the toss and elected to bowl, with Ben McKinney and stand-in skipper Lees opening for the hosts. Lees found his groove early on with a lovely cover drive off the bowling of Grant Stewart.

McKinney joined the party as he crunched a glorious shot to the boundary and Lees then reached his run-a-ball fifty with eight boundaries in the Durham skipper’s knock. Kent struck back, with Nathan Gilchrist removing McKinney for 23 after he was caught in the covers.

Gay, who is on loan from Northamptonshire ahead of his permanent move to the North East next year, came in and elegantly flicked one off his pads for four. Lees continued to motor, combining well with Gay, and he carved a Stewart delivery for four to third man.

After lunch, Lees resumed unbeaten on 95 and reached his fourth century of the season from 115 balls just minutes later. Gay impressed on his home debut looking calm at the crease and he manipulated the field well with the number three reaching his fifty from 92 balls. However, he didn’t last much longer as he feathered a Jas Singh delivery down the legside and it was caught well by Harry Finch behind the stumps.

Bedingham wasted no time getting into the groove as Division One’s leading run scorer hit back-to-back sixes over the legside boundary off the bowling of Singh. Bedingham continued to hit the Kent attack around the park with the South African international reaching fifty from 30 balls, which included three fours and four sixes.

Bedingham then smashed a Stewart full toss over the ropes, but he went for one maximum too many as he was caught off the bowling of Matt Parkinson for a 38-ball 66. Kent then got a second wicket in quick succession as Lees fell for an excellent 144 after he was caught at mid-wicket off the bowling of Stewart.

Ollie Robinson then holed out for five, giving Matt Parkinson his second of the afternoon, and Bas de Leede quickly followed for a duck. Durham resumed after tea and 16-year-old James Minto, who is making his home debut, hit his first six in first class cricket as he smashed a Matt Parkinson delivery down the ground for six. However, the teenager’s joy did not last as the leg spinner bowled him for 25.

Matt Parkinson then got his fourth as Daniel Hogg edged to slip and he then got his twin brother Callum out caught and bowled to wrap up his five wicket haul. The former Lancashire man then got his sixth as Durham were bowled out for 360.

Kent’s reply got off to the worst possible start with Tawanda Muyeye caught behind off the bowling of Daniel Hogg for five. Kent then lost a second wicket as de Leede sent Jaydn Denly’s off-stump flying for 12.

Finch and Leaning then came together and combined well with some lovely shots, but Colin Ackermann bowled Finch for 34 just before the close to leave Kent three down at stumps.