CCD2: Northamptonshire take control at Canterbury

Ben Duckett scored his fourth first-class century of the summer as Northamptonshire took control on day two of their game with Kent at Canterbury.

Duckett moved on from his overnight score of 94 before finally being dismissed for 145 as Northants finished on 398 to give themselves a first innings lead of 231.

The home side began their second innings after tea and were reduced to 81-1 at the close, 150 runs adrift of parity.

Northamptonshire began the day 172-2 but lost their third wicket to only the fifth ball of the day when Rob Keogh drove back a return catch to Matt Coles.

Duckett celebrated his hundred soon afterwards, reaching the landmark from 115 balls and with 13 fours.

But the same player was to blame for the loss of the visitors’ fourth wicket when his call for a single to extra cover led to Richard Levi's run out for 25 thanks to some sharp fielding by Darren Stevens.

Duckett followed just before lunch when he went back to cut, only to be trapped lbw by a quicker arm ball by James Tredwell.

That left Northants on 263-5 at lunch and they added just another nine runs before Saif Zaib, the 17-year-old batsman making his first-class debut, played late across a full-length Coles in-swinger to go for a 12-ball duck.

Stone fenced at Coles' next delivery to edge to the keeper and, at 272-7 and with barely 100 runs separating the sides, Kent appeared to be back in contention.

But their decision to take the second new ball caused them to lose the control Tredwell's off-spin had afforded them at the Pavilion End, and with him out of the attack, runs began to flow again in the face of some short and wayward pace bowling.

Josh Cobb eventually went for 30, after following and feathering a Stevens away-swinger to the keeper, only for Sanderson to join Mohammad Azharullah at the crease.

Sanderson chipped in with 42 before clipping a looping catch to mid-wicket as he and Azharullah put on 82 for the ninth wicket.

Maurice Chambers then skied to mid-on to give Tredwell (3-59) a third wicket, Azharullah remaining unbeaten on 58 after recording his maiden first-class half-century.

Kent lost opener Daniel Bell-Drummond for 26 in their second knock when he chopped a back foot cut off the bowling of Ben Sanderson onto his off stump.

Rob Key and Joe Denly dug in to remain there at the close but Key could have gone with his score on seven only for Olly Stone to miss a difficult low chance at slip off the bowling of Sanderson.

Key’s wicket remained intact, though, as he made it to stumps unbeaten on 22, with Denly 27 not out.