Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Perfect 10 for Coles
Matt Coles passed 50 wickets for the season as Kent climbed off the foot of the LV= County Championship.
He claimed his first 10-wicket haul for his home county as Kent completed an eight-wicket victory early on day three at Leicestershire.
Coles took 6-55 in the first innings as fellow strugglers Leicester slipped from 109- 4 at lunch on day one to 159 all out on a green wicket.
Darren Stevens, having taken two wickets, played the key knock of 63 in the visitors’ first-innings score of 210 – a lead of 51.
Coles finished with 4- 43 in Leicestershire’s second innings while Stevens and Calum Hagget collected three wickets each, with the hosts all out for 123.
Kent lost Daniel Bell-Drummond and Rob Key in pursuit of 73 but Joe Denly (37 not out) and captain Sam Northeast (28 not out) saw them to only a second championship win of the summer.
Coles, whose maiden 10-wicket haul came during his spell at Hampshire, said: “I don’t feel I bowled as well as I could in the first innings.
“I was a little tentative because it was wet underfoot and I didn’t want to risk sliding around and ending up with an injury. Once it dried out, it was a nice wicket to bowl on.
“It’s my second 10-wicket haul in First-Class cricket which is nice because you look at someone like Dave Masters who’s been playing for years and he’s never had one.
“The track was interesting. Luckily, we won the toss, put them in and got ourselves into a decent position.”
Coles’ efforts at Grace Road have taken him to 52 wickets in his first season back with Kent.
But he added: “I didn’t set any targets, I just wanted to enjoy my cricket.
“I knew all the faces and it was nice to have those boys behind me and wanting me to do well.
“It’s been brilliant coming back and taking what I learned from Hampshire.
“I’m a little more at home at Kent but whether I’m a better player is a difficult question to answer. I just want to do well for the lads and the team.”
Kent assistant coach Matt Walker has talked up Coles’ chances of England recognition and the 25-year-old said: “It’s nice to have that support from the coaches, believing in me and backing me as much as they have done. I appreciate all the help they’ve given me.
“I take it day by day, I don’t want to get caught up in any England talk.
“I just want to enjoy my cricket, play well and, fingers crossed, something might happen.”
Kent are in Championship action on Monday, when they travel to The Kia Oval to face Surrey.
‘I just want to enjoy my cricket, play well and, fingers crossed, something might happen’
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