Batsmen pile on the runs to secure fourth victory

Kent secured their fourth victory of the season in LV= County Championship Division 2 when they beat Glamorgan by 316 runs in Cardiff. Saturday’s win came as a result of one of their most complete performances of the season with former skipper Rob Key impressing with knocks of 94 and 158. He and Joe Denly (161 not out) shared a second-wicket stand of 222 in Kent’s second innings – a record for that wicket against Glamorgan – while Denly also went past 1,000 championship runs for the season and skipper Sam Northeast notched his 2,000th in all competitions. The game will also be remembered for Matt Coles claiming his 100th wicket of the season in all competitions on the final afternoon as he and Darren Stevens (5-58) dismissed the hosts for 237. Kent were in control from the moment they scored 309 and then reduced Glamorgan to 65-4 on the opening day. Kent’s bowlers quickly got to work to reduce the hosts to 101-7 on day two, although Glamorgan recovered to post 207 with off-spinner Adam Riley finishing with season’s best figures of 4-47. Daniel Bell-Drummond (54) and Key strengthened Kent’s position as they shared an opening stand of 114 before Key (158) and Denly (161 not out) took over, with Key registering his 54th First-Class century and his fourth successive score of fifty or more. Kent declared on 451-2 to leave Glamorgan needing 554. They reached 109-2 before a flurry of wickets on the final morning saw Stevens reach 60 scalps in the Championship and Coles move into three figures for the season.

Picture: Barry Goodwin Joe Denly top scored with 161 not out