Wickets tumble in Tunbridge Wells

Leicestershire 220 for 6 v Kent 459
Scorecard

Kent's England offspinner James Tredwell bagged 4 for 46 as 13 wickets fell during an action packed day of Championship cricket against Leicestershire in Tunbridge Wells. Bat dominated ball on the opening day at The Nevill Ground as Kent amassed 376 for 3, their biggest total to date of a disappointing campaign, yet the reverse was true on Monday when a dozen wickets tumbled inside the opening two sessions.

Having lost their last seven wickets for 30 runs in the space of 9.4 overs, Kent set about reducing the visitors to 161 for 6 before England Test prospect James Taylor led a revival for the East Midlands outfit with a stoical, unbeaten 43 scored in a shade over two hours.

When rain and bad light led to an early conclusion just before 6pm, Leicestershire had reached 220 for 6 after 64 overs and trail by 239 going into the third day of the 109th year of Festival Week cricket in the Royal Spa Town. The Foxes need a further 90 to avoid following on.

Responding to Kent's 459 all out, Leicestershire made a measured start through Matt Boyce and Will Jefferson as Kent's attack, in stark contrast, started dreadfully. Matt Coles gave away four wides and Robbie Joseph overstepped and sprayed the new ball around in a scrappy pre-lunch burst when Jefferson received a life at third slip even before getting off the mark.

The hosts turned the screw in the mid-session however, with Tredwell coming to the fore. He had Jefferson (77) and White (five) stumped by former England keeper Geraint Jones, who also played a part in the demise of Boyce, for 23, by taking a catch from an ill-judged drive against Coles.

Veteran Paul Nixon reached eight against his former county before clubbing a loose one to point where Adam Riley claimed the chance at the second attempt. McDonald gifted Tredwell another scalp by flicking to short midwicket, then Tom New snicked one to second slip.

Taylor and Jigar Naik dug in thereafter to add 59 for the seventh wicket before rain and bad light ended the entertainment prematurely. At the day's start Kent resumed with sights set firmly on posting 600-plus, but a clutch of poor shots coupled with a little more help for the seam bowlers from a pitch with only the merest flecks of green in it, saw wickets tumbling.

Experienced fourth-wicket partners Martin van Jaarsveld and Darren Stevens progressed their side's score on to 429 by adding 53 inside the opening hour before the wheels came off Kent's bandwagon as both went in the 30s. Van Jaarsveld was caught at slip playing around a good ball from Wayne White then Stevens, hampered by a trapped nerve in his shoulder, went leg before to a shooting offcutter from Nadeem Malik.

Kent had little to offer by way of resistance thereafter as three went for ducks and two more for single-figure scores. White led the Foxes attack with 4 for 66 and Malik provided excellent support with 3 for 87.