Critchley ton, Harmer hitting spree help Essex turn the screw

Kent 207 and 4 for 1 path Essex 458 for 8 dec (Critchley 117, A Cook dinner 87, Harmer 83*) by 247 runs

The 26-year-old confronted simply 168 balls in rattling up 117 runs as Essex put Kent to the sword whereas constructing a first-innings lead of 251. Critchley entered at 158 for 3 and departed 64 overs afterward 408 for 7 when he picked out lengthy leg to provide part-time spinner Jack Leaning a uncommon wicket.

Alastair Cook dinner had laid the foundations with a 176-ball 87, however some lusty late six-hitting by Critchley, Harmer and Doug Bracewell gilded the lily as Essex declared on 458 for 8. Hamid Qadri bore the brunt with figures of three for 120, whereas the Indian worldwide Arshdeep Singh returned finest Championship evaluation of three for 58.

And to cap Essex’s day, Twanda Muyeye departed to the final ball of the 5 overs left for Kent to see out when he went lbw pushing ahead to Sam Cook dinner for nought. Kent completed on 4 for 1.

However the actual drama of the day got here earlier than play with the information that Nick Browne had retired harm after feeling groggy in a single day and failing an off-field concussion check. The left-handed opener was hit on the top by a brief ball from Arshdeep within the night session however batted on for an additional two-and-a-half overs earlier than being visibly in poor health after the penultimate supply of the day. He then handed an on-field examine and noticed out the over.

Robin Das, who had initially stood in because the nominated substitute whereas Dan Lawrence made his approach again from Outdated Trafford the place he was stood down by England, then grew to become Browne’s alternative.

Das lasted 5 balls earlier than he grew to become one other entry within the scorebook that wanted an asterisk: the concussion substitute was caught by the substitute wicketkeeper Harry Finch, standing in for Jordan Cox who additional depleted Kent’s assets with a thigh damage.

Having placed on 117 for the primary wicket, because of the efforts of three males – however primarily Cook dinner – Essex misplaced one other nearly instantly when Tom Westley was trapped lbw to provide Arshdeep a second wicket.

Cook dinner had seemed in glowing kind the night time earlier than, stroking a dozen boundaries in his 64. However he batted for an additional hour-and-a-half within the morning session, including simply 23 runs from 70 balls earlier than trying slightly disconsolate at being judged lbw to former Essex seamer Matt Quinn.

Lawrence, having made the journey down from Manchester, performed an entertaining cameo of 25 that included a simple six over midwicket earlier than he tried to brush Qadri in an identical path solely to grow to be a 3rd lbw sufferer.

Critchley hammered Qadri over long-leg for the six that took Essex past Kent’s first-innings 207 with solely 4 wickets down, although it had taken them 17 overs longer. Nevertheless, Walter’s 90-ball 45 was ended by the third supply with the brand new ball as he performed down the unsuitable line to Arshdeep.

Rossington twice straight-drove Joey Evison for fours in a vivid partnership with Critchley earlier than he was deceived by Qadri’s flight and turned to see his stumps disturbed.

As soon as Harmer had acquired off the mark to his twenty eighth ball, he minimize unfastened and wanted simply one other 51 balls for his half-century, reached with an enormous six off Qadri. Nevertheless it was Critchley who caught the attention with some breathtaking, however orthodox hitting, and attain three-figures from 161 balls by pulling Quinn via midwicket for his 14th boundary that included two maximums.

Harmer, with 5 sixes, traded maximums with Doug Bracewell off the beleaguered Kent spinners earlier than the New Zealander was stumped to immediate the declaration.