Kent take lead despite Bragg ton

Kent 357 (Hogan 5-71) and 1 for 0 lead Glamorgan 281 (Bragg 104, Thomas 3-40) by 77 runs
Scorecard

Glamorgan batsman Will Bragg scored his second hundred of the summer to ensure honours remained fairly even at the mid-point of their Championship clash with Kent in Canterbury.

Bragg, fresh from a career-best 120 against Leicestershire in the first round of this season's Division Two games, hit a dozen boundaries in his 208-ball innings as Glamorgan posted 281 all out in response to Kent's season's best first-innings total of 357.

The left-hander from Newport took advantage of a let-off with his score on 16 to reach the fourth hundred of his career and cut Kent's first-innings advantage to a mere 76 runs.

With his side in trouble on 54 for 3, Wagg was fortunate to see Matt Coles, stationed at second slip, drop a comfortable catch off the bowling of Calum Haggett and went on to bat late into the last session on an easing pitch.

Kent looked set for a considerable first innings lead as they claimed three wickets in the 90-minute stint through to lunch. Rookie Ivan Thomas set the tone by trapping James Kettleborough leg before with an offcutter, then Coles ripped out the off stump of Jacques Rudolph and, when bowling around the wicket, had left-hander Colin Ingram snaffled at second slip.

Glamorgan counter attacked in the middle session but, although the run rate increased, wickets still fell at regular intervals. Chris Cooke cutting at Darren Stevens picked out Joe Denly at cover point then Mark Wallace was caught behind down the leg side when attempting to glance against Thomas.

Graham Wagg prodded forward in defence at a Stevens' awayswinger to edge low to James Tredwell at slip and, with their score on 170 for 6 at tea, Glamorgan still had concerns over reaching their 208-run follow-on figure.

Tredwell pocketed another catch in the cordon after tea to account for Craig Meschede and give Haggett a deserved scalp on his comeback appearance, but Bragg ensured that batting again would not be Glamorgan's fate. He moved to 99 by steering one from Coles to third man then punched a single to extra cover to raise three figures having spent a shade under four hours at the crease.

Bragg's vigil ended when Thomas returned to bowl him around his legs for 104, then Stevens plucked out Michael Hogan's middle stump. Stevens, Thomas and Coles all finished with three wickets apiece and Kent batted out the final over of the day, scoring a single to extend their lead to 77.

At the start of day two, Glamorgan required barely half an hour to take Kent's two remaining first-innings scalps, with Hogan bagging a season's best 5 for 71. A cameo 25 from Coles eased Kent past 350 for a fourth batting bonus point.