Disappointing defeat for Northants as Kent cruise to victory on day three
Northamptonshire's Rothesay County Championship Division Two campaign got off to a disappointing start as they lost by 145 runs to Kent on Sunday.
The away side quickly wrapped things up on day three as seamer Keith Dudgeon produced career-best figures of seven for 36.
The 29-year-old South African, making his debut in English cricket, rattled through the last three Northamptonshire wickets to secure a convincing success.
It took Kent just seven overs to complete their win at Wantage Road, with the home side bowled out for 114 in their second innings as George Bartlett was left unbeaten on 60.
Resuming on 54 not out, Bartlett did his best to farm the strike and take the odd single but he could not protect the tail for long, and Dudgeon struck in his third over of the morning to take his tally of wickets to five.
Dom Leech, attempting to fend off a short delivery, could only send it looping into the gloves of Harry Finch – and Liam Guthrie departed in Dudgeon’s next over, bowled off his pads for a duck.
Dudgeon completed Kent’s victory – their third successive red-ball win over Northamptonshire – just two balls later, uprooting Raphy Weatherall’s off stump with a yorker.
Northamptonshire's next match starts on April 11 as they travel to Lancashire.