Ollie Robinson scores century as Kent fight back against Northamptonshire
Jordan Cox 90, Joe Denly 63 boost hosts after Darren Stevens seals another five-for but draw looks likely
ECB Reporters Network
05-Jun-2021
Ollie Robinson scored 120 • Getty Images
Kent 330 for 5 (Robinson 120, Cox 90, Denly 63) trail Northamptonshire 392 (Gay 101, Procter 81, Vasconcelos 66, Stevens 5-73) by 62 runs
Ollie Robinson hit a century and claimed the 100th catch of his career as Kent fought back on day three of their LV= Insurance County Championship match with Northants at Canterbury.
The wicketkeeper hit 120 from 119 balls, including 16 fours and three sixes as Kent reached 330 for 5 in reply to Northants' 392 all out, a deficit of 62. Jordan Cox was Kent's next-highest scorer with 90 and Joe Denly made 63.
Simon Kerrigan claimed 2 for 80 as Northants took a cluster of late wickets but, barring a sporting declaration tomorrow, the match is almost certain to end as a draw.
Earlier, Darren Stevens took five for 73, the 31st five-wicket haul of his career, and Matt Quinn claimed 4 for 86 as Northants added just 30 runs to their overnight score of 362 for 5, following a delayed start.
Saif Zaib fell to the fifth ball of the day, edging Stevens behind for 21 and becoming Robinson's 100th victim after a brilliant one-handed dive. Tom Taylor was lbw for 25 in Stevens' next over and Quinn then took two wickets from three balls, getting Nathan Buck caught behind for 4 and removing Gareth Berg, caught by Jack Leaning at first slip for 10.
Northants missed out on a fourth bonus point when Stevens had Ben Sanderson caught behind for 4 and Kent's openers responded with their first century stand of the season.
Robinson, dropped on 48 by Berg, reached his century when he steered Berg through point for four. He then hooked Berg for a third six over long leg and finally fell lbw to Buck, a split-second after a car alarm went off, although he didn't appear to be distracted.
Cox reached his third half-century with a glanced four to third man and subsequently smashed Kerrigan for a six into the top tier of the Frank Woolley stand.
Denly was dropped on 38 when he edged Taylor to second slip, only for the ball to crash into Berg's ribs. He passed 50 by smashing Kerrigan over the Woolley stand, before Kerrigan finally tasted success when he trapped Cox lbw.
Rob Keogh had Denly caught at deep square leg by Zaib and Daniel Bell-Drummond was lbw to Kerrigan for 19. Zaib then had Leaning caught behind in the penultimate over for 24.