Kent take charge despite Foster fightback

Stumps Kent 247 (Northeast 112, Chambers 3-51) and 146 for 3 (Key 61, van Jaarsveld 43*, Topley 2-26) v Essex 201 (Foster 88*, Stevens 6-60) v
Scorecard

Kent are in a strong position in their County Championship match with Essex as they finished the second day with a lead of 192 runs and seven second-innings wickets intact. The visitors gained a first-innings lead of 46 runs before adding a further 146 for the loss of three wickets by the close with Martin van Jaarsveld 43 not out.

A fighting unbeaten 88 from Essex captain James Foster led a recovery for the home side from their perilous overnight position of 49 for 6 before they were eventually bowled out for 201. Foster played responsibly throughout yet was always quick to take advantage of some wayward bowling reaching his half-century from 84 deliveries.

Timing the ball sweetly, he collected boundaries on both sides of the wicket, setting the tone by driving the first ball of the day to the ropes. Together with Matt Walker - who scored 22 - and then Tim Phillips, he provided the backbone that the innings lacked on the opening day.

Former Kent batsman Walker joined his skipper in a seventh-wicket stand worth 42 runs that included an enforced changing of the ball that had caused the home side so many problems yesterday. Walker drove a delivery from Darren Stevens to the boundary and the ball continued over the terraces before finishing in the River Can.

It was Simon Cook who brought Walker's innings to an end when he turned the left-hander around and Stevens held the catch at third slip. Phillips played resolutely spending two hours at the crease whilst contributing 20 out of an eighth-wicket partnership of 80 with Foster before Stevens returned to the attack to end the resistance with a ball that swung across the left-hander, who steered it into the gloves of Geraint Jones.

The pace of Robbie Joseph accounted for David Masters, who drove into the hands of Van Jaarsveld at second slip. Joseph conceded a no-ball to give Essex a batting point, but then had Reece Topley caught at third slip when the batsman played back leaving Foster stranded after three-and-a-half hours at the crease and just 12 runs short of his century.

The visitors made a brisk start to their second innings, putting on 36 in nine overs before Topley prised out Joe Denly for the second time in the match when a full-length delivery rapped the batsman, who had scored 18, on the pads.

First innings century-maker Sam Northeast had reached 18 when Ravi Bopara cut a ball back to remove the batsman's off stump but Key and Van Jaarsveld composed a 69-run stand before Key fell in the penultimate over of the day. He had completed a 97-ball half-century that included six boundaries and had advanced onto 61 when he drove fast left-armer Topley to Billy Godleman at short midwicket giving the championship debutant bowler his fourth wicket of the match.