Kent hang on to deny Northants sensational victory at Canterbury

A hitherto sterile contest finally ignited on the final day as leg-spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Calvin Harrison nearly span the visitors to an improbable victory using the much-maligned Kookaburra ball.

Northants defied the elements, batted aggressively and declared on 722 for six, smashing the record for the highest score by any side at this venue, eclipsing the 676 made by Australia in 1921.

Saif Zaib made 196 not out and Justin Broad was unbeaten on 157, an unbroken partnership of 298.

It also meant they led by 156, giving Kent a minimum of 59 overs to navigate, 11 of which were lost due to rain.

Chahal took four for 51 and for the second consecutive week it was left to Joey Evison stave off defeat.

He hit 49 from 104 balls and was helped by a dramatic late return from Tawanda Muyeye, who left the ground at lunchtime due to personal reasons, but returned to bat at 10 and was there with Evison at stumps.

Northants resumed with Zaib on 150 and Justin Broad on 107, but just 12 minutes were possible before the rain became too heavy for the players to continue.

A totsl of 18 overs were wiped out and when play resumed, Zaib and Broad tried to make up for the lost time. Broad took two from Denly to pass 150.

Gallows humour prevailed.

When Matt Parkinson conceded his 200th run his team mates applauded and he put an arm around Zaib, who was on 195 at the time, as if to say: ‘that’s how you do it’.

The rain returned and with Northants on 722 for six, lunch was taken early, but this time only one over was lost and Kent faced a potentially awkward afternoon under leaden skies.

It looked even more awkward when Liam Guthrie sent Jaydn Denly’s off stump cartwheeling, four balls into the reply, but after four overs the rain returned with Kent on 12 for one and 11 further overs were chalked off, leaving Kent with a minimum of 48 to survive.

Chahal then bowled Ekansh Singh for 37, but despite a succession of appeals of varying conviction, Ben Compton and Daniel Bell-Drummond steered Kent to the relative safety of 76 for two at tea – after which they fell apart.

Bell-Drummond edged the first ball of the evening session, from Harrison, to Broad at first slip and Compton then went trying to sweep Chahal, victim of a low catch at square leg by Tim Robinson.

With Muyeye apparently unable to bat for personal reasons, Kent were effectively five down with 45 minutes to go before the final hour.

Harry Finch cut Harrison straight to Broad for four and Parkinson strolled out with Kent still 61 in arrears.

Chahal then took two wickets in two balls: Parkinson survived 12 deliveries until Broad took his third catch of the innings, this time off Harrison, and Wes Agar went for a heave and was out for a second ball duck, caught behind by Lewis McManus.

Matt Quinn played more sensibly until he lofted the 57th ball he faced from Harrison to Chahal for 13.

To widespread surprise, Muyeye then came out at number 10 and Kent had a major let off when Evison, who had earlier been dropped by James Sales, was put down by Ricardo Vasconcelos at silly point.

The duo crucially steered Kent into the lead, and when 5.50pm was reached Kent were officially safe.

The draw sees Northants stay fifth, but they are now just 18 points behind second-placed Derbyshire who were beaten by Lancashire.