Hampshire frustrated by Kent pair

Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sam Northeast each struck centuries in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 226 as Kent severely delayed Hampshire's progress towards promotion to LV= County Championship Division One at the Ageas Bowl.

Hampshire went into their penultimate Division Two fixture requiring 27 points from their meeting with Kent and against Glamorgan next week in Cardiff to be sure of going up.

But after a chastening day in the field, Hampshire were only one bowling bonus point nearer their goal as Kent's batsmen made the most of a green-tinged wicket which got better and more bland as the day went on to make 312 for three from 96 overs.

Bell-Drummond recorded a career-best 135 not out having batted all day with great patience and control while Northeast continued a rich vein of late-season form with an unbeaten 115.

Neither batsman gave so much as a hint of a chance as Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams used eight bowlers in an increasingly vain attempt to break mid-table Kent's stranglehold.

Not that it started that way. Kent captain Robert Key won the toss and chose to bat and eight balls into the match was back in the pavilion after playing across the line to former Kent man Matt Coles.

“@BBCKentSport: On his 135* Daniel told BBC Radio Kent, "It was brilliant! It was one of the best feelings of my cricket career so far."”

— Kent Cricket (@kentcricket) September 15, 2014

Ben Harmison did not last long either, snapped up low at second slip by Liam Dawson to leave Kent 26 for two and Coles celebrating his second wicket of the morning.

Only then, in bright sunshine, did Kent begin the task of repairing the damage as Bell-Drummond was joined by the quicker-scoring Brendan Nash in a stand of 60 for the third wicket before the left-hander fell on the sweep to the returning Imran Tahir.

However, this only brought Northeast to the crease and the fourth-wicket pair took Kent into tea at 178 for three with Hampshire, getting no assistance from the pitch, long since running out of ideas.

So it continued in the final session, Bell-Drummond reaching the fourth century of his career in the 75th over with a single to mid-on off Dawson and Northeast not long behind him in reaching three figures.

Northeast duly reached the landmark off 182 balls in an innings which included a swept six off spinner Dawson to make it three hundreds in as many games.

At the close, Bell-Drummond had faced 289 balls and hit 21 fours while Northeast, no less in charge, had struck 12 fours and that lone maximum from 199 deliveries.

Century For @sanortheast!!! @LV_Cricket#HAMvKENpic.twitter.com/lqFZmAe3Mi

— Kent Cricket (@kentcricket) September 15, 2014

Coles was the pick of the bowlers in taking 2-44 from 17 overs while Tahir's solitary success came in 20 overs, costing 73 runs.

Northeast said: "Dropping down the order has been the key factor in my recent good form. I am feeling much more relaxed when I go to the crease.

''I am delighted to have scored three hundreds in consecutive matches. In truth it was a pretty flat deck out there after lunch and the plan is to carry on until lunch on the second day if at all possible."

Hampshire coach Dale Benkenstein said: "We bowled well and did not give anything away. All credit to the Kent lads. It was difficult early on but they both deserved their centuries.

"Promotion means a lot to the Hampshire players and you could sense a few of them getting nervous in the dressing room, but I expect the whole issue to go down to the wire in the last match at Cardiff. In any case, this is only day one of a four-day match."