Ben Compton scores twin tons in extraordinary losing cause for Kent

Just after eleven o'clock this morning there were, perhaps, a few dozen spectators on the Spitfire Ground. Whatever the stone-faced cynics might conclude, their presence was explained by more than free admission and blind loyalty. Some, to be sure, were Lancashire supporters who wanted to see their side complete a victory that was surely certain; others were hoping that since Kent clearly could not rescue a miraculous draw, they might, at least, bat nobly enough to take the day into, say, a second hour; others, again, were happy to observe the duels of which any cricket match is composed.

By the time the game ended over six hours later, all three groups of supporters were satisfied yet their objectives had been achieved in a manner more glorious than any of them could have envisaged. For rather than submit quietly to what had seemed inevitable defeat, Kent's last four wickets had added 198 runs this Easter Sunday and had ensured Lancashire would have to bat again.

But this was one of those rare games in which individual achievement can be ranked alongside the outcome. For on this extraordinary afternoon, Ben Compton had completed his second century of the match and his third in succession for his new county since moving from Nottinghamshire. And only when an exhausted Compton was leg before wicket for 115 when attempting to pull George Balderson's eighth ball after tea did the outcome of it all become clear. That was fitting. Only when Compton was out could Kent be defeated.

Compton's dismissal prevented him becoming only the seventh batter in history to carry his bat through both innings of a first-class game. But the combined statistics of his three centuries this season still boggle the mind. In 11 days he has made 345 runs, faced 918 balls and batted for 20 hours 35 minutes, all, more or less, when trying to secure draws against high-quality attacks. Over the past week or so Kent diehards have watched Compton bat much as couch potatoes binge on TV box sets. And do not mistake it; these have been innings in which his grandfather would have taken pride.

But Kent had a best supporting actor on another day that said much for their prospects in the First Division. His name was Hamidullah Qadri and without his contribution, Compton's efforts would have been merely extraordinary instead of truly heroic… But perhaps we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let us return to this Sunday morning in Canterbury. In the cathedral, the Archbishop is about to begin his Easter Day service; at the Spitfire Ground, Compton and Matt Milnes are going out to bat; in the Frank Woolley Stand a scattering of spectators are living in hope…

At first, things went as Glen Chapple, Lancashire's head coach, might have ordained. Milnes fell to the sixth ball of the day when his forward lunge did not prevent him being given lbw to a ball from Matt Parkinson that barely spun at all. That, however, was both the first and final breakthrough of Lancashire's morning. Compton and his eighth-wicket partner, Qadri, batted with growing assurance for 33 overs until lunch. There were false shots but no obviously near things or spilled catches. Times beyond counting, Lancashire cricketers shouted "Here we go, boys," but the problem was that Kent's eighth-wicket pair wouldn't go. Inevitably, someone extolled a bowler to go "Bang, bang" but this smacked of greed, given that, with luncheon approaching, Lancashire would certainly have settled for a solitary bang and let the other two look after themselves.

Compton batted much as he has done in his three innings this season. Displaying exemplary concentration, he defended immaculately, worked the ball square on either side of the wicket and smacked any dross to the boundary. Qadri, meanwhile, played his shots so freely that he caught up his seemingly immovable partner early in the afternoon session. He brought up his maiden fifty with a boundary to third man off Balderson but was almost immediately dropped at second slip by Steven Croft off Hasan Ali. Lancashire's fielders probably consoled themselves they would get another chance but by mid-afternoon, the stand between Compton and Qadri had gone far beyond irritation. Suddenly it occurred to home spectators that this great thing could be done and that what had begun as an act of loyalty was turning into something near to memorable witness.

The pair set an eighth-wicket record for Kent against Lancashire when their partnership passed the 92 put on by Darren Stevens and Matt Coles at Old Trafford in 2010. The game drifted towards the scheduled tea interval and a wicket did not look like falling, this despite the best efforts of Hasan Ali who sprinted in as though escaping the tax man. And Kent were only 25 runs shy of avoiding the innings defeat when Hasan burst one through Qadri's defences and bowled him for 77. His previous best first-class score was 30. As he returned to the pavilion something over a hundred people rose to applaud.

Now, at last, Lancashire smelt blood. Compton tried to farm the strike but sharp fielding by Balderson prevented him. Left to face an over from Hasan, Nathan Gilchrist survived one ball before being bowled when barely playing a stroke at the second. One wicket to go.

But even then, Kent were not done. Last man Jackson Bird batted with good sense and helped Compton take their side into the lead. Phil Salt missed a stumping when Compton was on 110 and at least four of Dane Vilas's fielders threw themselves to the ground as if unable to cope with the pain of the moment. Parkinson completed his 47th over of the innings and his 78th of the match. Tea came and went. Kent supporters wondered if their side could possibly escape with another draw. Balderson bowled to Compton and it became clear they couldn't.

Lancashire knocked off the 33 runs they needed in 7.1 overs but it was a limp aftermath to the great drama of the day. And even when the match was done, people sat and mused about Compton. They marvelled at his achievements and the game he plays. Come the autumn, they will be marvelling still.