Fulton carries Kent's hopes of transforming match

David Fulton edged towards his ninth first-class century of the summer as Kent attempted to gain ground on relegation-threatened Northamptonshire in Canterbury.

Fulton will go into day three of this CricInfo Championship match at St Lawrence unbeaten on 80 and with his side on 158 for three - representing an overall deficit in the match of 91.

After skittling the hosts out for 108 in the first session of the match, Northamptonshire looked set for a formidable first innings lead until Kent took the second new ball to polish off their reply by taking six wickets inside 15 overs.

A record fourth-wicket stand worth 167 from 63 overs between Russell Warren and Tony Penberthy increased the visitors' lead to exactly 200 until Penberthy (73) fell to the occasional medium-pace of Matthew Walker.

Warren went on to record his century from 200 balls and with 16 fours before his four-hour stay ended with a fresh burst from Ben Trott who finished with excellent figures of five for 89 from the Nackington Road End.

That sparked a collapse of six wickets for 40 runs in just 88 balls as Trott and Martin Saggers, with three for 98, raced through the middle and late order to polish off the innings for 357 just before tea.

Kent's England academy opener Rob Key was bowled for the second time in the match when shouldering arms to John Blain in the second over of the reply, but then Fulton and Ed Smith combined to add 86 for the second wicket before Smith (41) nicked to Ripley to give Blain his eighth victim of the match.

Andrew Symonds offered a sharp return catch that Penberthy snaffled up, only for Fulton and Matthew Walker to take Kent through to stumps with an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 61.