Kent extend lead over Hampshire

Kent extended their lead over fellow championship strugglers Hampshire to 250 runs on an action packed second day that saw 16 wickets fall in Canterbury.

The first two sessions belonged to Kent as they extended their overnight first innings total of 268 for nine to a season's best 323 all out courtesy of a county record 10th wicket stand against Hampshire worth 125 in 36 overs.

But then Hampshire hit back in the final hour, reducing sixth-placed Kent to 83 for five after the hosts declined to enforce the follow-on.

Kent dominated the first session when Paul Nixon recorded his first century since joining from Leicestershire and went on to record a career-best 134 with 17 fours and two sixes as he and David Masters frustrated the visitors for another 70 minutes.

Masters chipped in with his championship-best score of 21 until a leg-stump yorker ended his stay, but the first-season rookie from Chatham went on to have his say with the ball as Hampshire succumbed for just 156.

Kent's leading wicket-taker Martin Saggers started the collapse with the wicket of visiting captain Robin Smith, who fell for five after a rare appearance at the top of the Hampshire order.

Saggers went on to claim five for 47 to take his season's tally to 48, while Masters bagged four for 31 as the basement side were shot out in 51.1 overs.

Lawrence Prettypaul made an elegant half-century on his first-class debut for Hampshire, but only he, Shaun Udal (21) and Shane Warne (45) made it into double figures.

With a first innings lead of 167, Kent's acting captain Alan Wells decided not to enforce the follow-on, but soon started to regret his decision when Alex Morris sent back Rob Key and Rahul Dravid.

The Kent balcony became even gloomier when Dimitri Mascarenhas trapped Ed Smith, Warne confused Matthew Walker with a googlie and Alan Mullally returned to send back night watchman Saggers.