County Championship: Durham struggle against Kent on day two

Durham were struggling on 173-5 against Kent, still trailing by 350, when rain forced an early end to day two of their County Championship match at Beckenham.

Kent’s Ekansh Singh hit an unbeaten 66 to help Kent to 523 all out, after Durham started the second day with three wickets for four runs in the first two overs. However, Ekansh put on a century stand with Keith Dudgeon, to swing the momentum back in Kent’s favour.

Matthew Potts took 6-92 and claimed his 300th first-class wicket, but Matt Milnes and Ekansh took two wickets apiece to leave the Division Two leaders still 200 shy of the follow on at stumps. Milnes bowled England’s new opener, Emilio Gay, for a duck, leaving David Bedingham and Ben Stokes as the not out batters on 77 and eight respectively.

Kent were 385-4 overnight, but Durham made a near-perfect start to the second day.

Raine struck in the first over, bowling Ben Dawkins, who couldn’t add to his overnight score of 180.

Potts then had Chris Benjamin caught by Kasey Aldridge at second slip for seven and Milnes went for four, caught by Alex Lees at third, before the hosts responded with a stand worth 108.

Ekansh was on 44 when he miscued an upper cut off Stokes and was caught by Gay, only for the umpire to signal a no ball. He profited by driving Callum Parkinson for a single to reach his fifty, but in the final over before lunch Durham broke the partnership when Dudgeon went for 44, top-edging Potts to Ollie Robinson, leaving Kent on 497-8.

James Taylor made 10 before skying Potts to David Bedingham, giving Callum Parkinson the chance to bowl at his twin Matt – who failed to score off 12 deliveries from his brother.

Ekansh dumped Callum Parkinson into stands for a six, before Matt Parkinson was the last man out, nicking Potts to Bedingham.

Durham’s reply got off to a rough start when Gay chopped Milnes onto his middle stump.

Lees was lbw for 31 to Ekansh, who then got Will Rhodes caught at gully by for 19 by Dudgeon. Rhodes was on as a sub for Ben McKinney, who injured his ankle in the nets.

When Graham Clark got a bottom edge to Dudgeon for five, Durham were 88-4 and the former Kent wicket-keeper Ollie Robinson came in ahead of Stokes, who’d been feeling unwell on day one.

Bedingham pulled Ekansh for six and then punched Dudgeon for four through the covers to reach fifty, steering Durham to 121-4 at tea, but the light deteriorated during the interval, to the extent Kent were told they would have to bowl spinners.

Tawanda Muyeye found Bedingham’s edge, but the ball hit Benjamin on the shoulder and ballooned to safety.

When the light improved, Robinson chased a wide one from Milnes was caught by Dudgeon at gully for 27, but rain began to fall at 17:40 BST and play was abandoned with 15.3 overs remaining.