Northeast, Nash lead Kent to victory

Sam Northeast and Brendan Nash helped guide Kent to only their second County Championship win of the season with a seven-wicket victory over Glamorgan at Cardiff.

Northeast, who had only scored 442 Championship runs before this game, made 88 as Kent chased down the 242 runs needed with more than a day to spare. Northeast shared in a match-winning partnership of 62 for the third wicket with Brendan Nash, who was 70 not out from 77 balls.

Glamorgan, who went down to their sixth four-day defeat, will now hope that they can regain their form ahead of their Yorkshire Bank 40 semi-final against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl on Saturday.

At the start of the third morning the contest had been well-balanced with Glamorgan resuming 237 for 7 in their second innings - an overall lead of 220. And that advantage was increased to 241 as their innings lasted another 9.5 overs.

In only the third over of the day Darren Stevens struck twice in the space of four balls to reduce the home side to 237 for 9. First Stevens, who claimed four wickets in the first innings, had Dean Cosker caught by Nash at backward point before bowling Michael Hogan for a duck. Offspinner Adam Riley came in to the attack and ended Glamorgan's innings when last man Mike Reed drove straight to long-on.

That left Kent with a target of 242 to win in a minimum of 180 overs. Kent's chase for victory was fairly untroubled before lunch as the openers - Rob Key and Northeast - reached the interval at 49 without loss. The only chance for Glamorgan came when Key was almost caught at second slip off Chris Cooke.

Kent lost their first wicket shortly after lunch when Reed had Key caught by Murray Goodwin at midwicket. Kent moved to 100 in the 37th over and shortly before tea Northeast completed a patient half-century from 150 balls. But on the stroke of tea, slow left-armer Cosker had Daniel Bell-Drummond caught behind for 30 leaving the visitors 134 for 2 requiring another 108.

Northeast looked as if he was on his way to his first century but was bowled by Cosker, who claimed his 500th first-class wicket leaving Kent 211 for 3 just needing 31 more. Nash, who reached his 50 from 61 balls with eight fours, was still there at the end.