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Patel & Key Hammer NZ

Saturday, May 15 2004

Day 2 of 4: Min Patel and Rob Key Lead The Charge...

New Zealand started day two in complete control, however today Kent turned up at the party as they dismissed the New Zealanders for 409, removing the last eight wickets for just 112 runs, before a blistering century from Ex-England player Rob Key lead Kent through to 297/4 at stumps.

New Zealand started the day where they left of the night before with Astle looking especially comfort and progressing the score through to 330 before Amjad Khan made a double breakthrough for the home side, first dismissing Styris for 32 caught impressively by Matthew Walker to atone for his dropped catch yesterday, then Khan soon had McMillan caught behind by the England wicket keeper Geraint Jones for a six ball duck.

New Zealand wicket keeper McCullum was given a promotion up the order to gain some match practice but the moved backfired as in the very next over spin was introduced into the attack and despite looking good with a blazing four, McCullum was trapped in front by the slow left arm of Min Patel.

Just three runs later Patel was back among the wickets as Astle flashed at a wide one that saw Fulton take a fine catch at slip, Astle falling just two runs short of a entertaining half century that saw forty (of 48) scored in boundaries.

Stand in New Zealand captain was next in and set about restoring some of the damage done by the Kent bowlers in typical Carins fashion, in a stand of 44 with spinner Vettori for the seventh wicket Vettori contributed just nine of them before edging behind to wicket keeper Geraint Jones.

With just the tail to come Carins upped the assault on the bowlers and demonstrated a scintillating hitting display on route to 54 from a mere 38 balls including 6 x 4's and 3 x 6's. Carins was finally dismissed for 54 when he went for one to many shots and holed out to Ed Smith of the bowling of the impressive Min Patel.

The tail as expected didn't offer any resistance as the sheer pace of Stiff was to much for Shane Bond to handle as he edged behind to give Jones his third catch of the innings and then Min Patel bamboozled Tuffey to grab a thoroughly well deserved five wicket haul.

Min Patel ended the innings with by far and away the best figures of 22.3 - 3 - 56 - 5. David Stiff also recovered well despite the twenty no balls to return figures of 20 - 2 - 88 - 3.

New Zealand: First Innings 409ao

Kent's batting of late has been very hit or miss, today they needed to get a solid start and with everything looking to be going well until the captain Fulton gave an easy catch to Tuffey off the bowling of Martin with the score on just 21.

Rob Key was looking in devastating form as he raced towards his half century in a stand of 37 with fellow former Kent batsman Ed Smith, Key adding 30 of the runs. Smith was looking good on 7 before a change of bowling bought his downfall with Chris Carins tempting Smith into a mis-timed shot that flew straight to Tuffey for his second catch of the innings.

While Rob Key continued to punish the bowlers to all parts of the St Lawrence ground giving Bond and Vettori some extra special treatment, the left-hander Matthew Walker offered him superb support at the other end as the pair added 90 for the third wicket before Tuffey got one to move away slightly and the edge flew straight through to the keeper for a simple catch, Walker normally a nudger and accumulator today blasted 32 including 6 x 4's.

Rob Key soon found another solid partner in the exciting young batsman Michael Carberry who has performed superbly this season after getting a extended run in the side, the pair added 37 in the late afternoon sun and were looking a solid force heading towards Tea. Rob Key meanwhile continued to remind the selectors of what he is capable of as he passed his century in just 111 balls including a massive 18 fours.

Just as the Kent pair were thinking of Tea New Zealand struck a timely wicket and the all-important one of Rob Key as he again looked to hit out against the spinner Vettori but Key only managed to edge behind to the waiting gloves of McCullum, Key falling for 114 hitting 20 fours in total in his 130 ball stay.

After Tea Kent continued to dominate the bowlers as Michael Carberry (72* - 111 balls) and Geraint Jones (43* - 56 balls) batted faultless for the entire session adding the best partnership of the day with 111 undefeated, Geraint Jones was looking to continue where Key left off as he offered no rest bite to the bowlers launching two huge sixes in his 43*.

For New Zealand all the bowlers suffered some punishment, but all responded well with all the main bowlers bar Bond getting a wicket each, but more worrying for them as the Kent bug appears to be contagious as 11 no-balls have already been bowled with Bond and Carins the major cuprites.

Stumps Day 2:

New Zealanders 409 (114.3 Overs) - Papps 126, Richardson 92; Patel 5/56, Stiff 3/88, Khan 2/106.

Kent 296/4 (65 Overs) - Key 114, Carberry 72*, Jones 43*; Cairns 1/44, Tuffey 1/47.


* Day 1 - Match Report

Posted by Richard