Records tumble as Kent, Derby sense the need for innovation

In the continuation of this battle between two sides struggling to play with anything like the same degree of flair and enterprise that tends to mark the approach of their rivals further up the Division One table, this was another slow day at Canterbury. But the rearrangement of at least two records, and the refreshing attempts made late in the day by both Derbyshire seamer Kevin Dean and Kent captain Matthew Fleming to enliven the proceedings, nevertheless did much to salvage the situation.

For the second day in succession, Dean's movement and control proved a stunning force with which to be reckoned. On his way to career-best figures of 8/52, he beat the bat relentlessly and it was rare to see anything other than false shots being attempted against him. His was an almost faultless exhibition of left arm pace bowling. Having added Mark Ealham (4) and Robert Key (37) to his growing list of victims early in the day, he even performed the remarkable feat of capturing 6/6 in the space of sixty-three deliveries at one stage.

The charge could not quite be sustained, however, and Paul Nixon (80*) and Min Patel (60), profiting handsomely from Dean's need to rest from the attack, were able to lift Kent to comparative safety as a result. In adding 131 for the eighth wicket, they bettered the previous mark of 112 - made by Geoffrey Legge and Charles McVittie at Dover back in 1929 - to forge a new best in matches between the two counties. In the midst of a relatively disappointing season with the bat, Nixon occupied the crease for close to five and a half hours. Patel, meanwhile, laboured for near to four over his maiden Championship half century of the season.

It was not long after Patel had departed - as soon as a second batting point had been attained to be precise - that Fleming chose his moment to add some life to the game with a declaration. Happily, Derbyshire openers Steve Titchard (37*) and Steve Stubbings (17*) then responded in kind with some enterprising strokeplay to take their team to an overall lead of eighty-two runs by the close and a position from which they can hopefully open up this relegation contest tomorrow.