Match report day 4: Kent v Lancs in Championship 2003 by Neil Adams

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Scorecard:

Kent v Lancashire

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Summary for Day 4

Lancashire's last Championship victory at Canterbury was achieved in 1938. After waiting 65 years, and toiling away for 4 long days in the heat, Lancashire captured victory - their first of the season and very much deserved. However, it was not straight forward -
7am - Heavy thunderstorm over Canterbury and persistent rain until 10am - Surely not another washout!
10am to 12.15pm - Watched clear up - Weather improving
12.50pm - Saggers out - Relief before lunch
12.55pm - Ealham dropped by Keedy (Easy chance) - Despair and disbelief
1.45pm - Walker out bowled leg stump - Everyone cheers up slightly
2pm until 3.15pm - Getting very nervous as Ealham and Jones edge
towards Lancashire's total - Sun is out and the run rate is under 4.
3.30pm - Jones out - Big sighs of relief but still game is a close call
Tea 3.40pm - 112 runs or 3 wickets - Ealham not out 75 - either team can win no chance of the game ending in a draw - sweaty palms!
4.15-4.30pm - 2 quick wickets including Ealham - Relaxed at last
4.50pm - The final wicket - Great relief for all the Lancashire supporters and a fair result based on the four days play

 

Bowling Performance of the Day

There was no separating the performance of Keedy and Chapple. They both finished with 4 wickets and worked tirelessly in hot and sticky conditions. Peter Martin also deserves a mention - he bowled 28 excellent overs with minimum reward, despite beating the bat endlessly and having several good shouts for leg before turned down. He removed Ealham with the new ball shortly after tea with an excellent lifting delivery. Keedy finished with 9 for 178 in the match.

 

Batting Performance of the Day

Mark Ealham scored 79 runs from 124 balls including 12 x 4 and 1 x 6. If Ealham had remained undefeated Kent would have most likely won the match.

 

Fielding Performance of the Day

Alec Swann's ground fielding in the gully/point region was super. Hooper's catch to dismiss Ealham was very neat low down at second slip.

 

Highlight of the Day

Capturing the last wicket to secure the first win of the season and moving into second place in division one table.

 

Lowlights of the Day

• Mark Ealham was dropped on 4 in the covers by Gary Keedy - it was a very simple chance just before lunch.
• Carl Hooper's bowling seemed highly ineffectual and sometimes expensive - he was over bowled during the middle of the afternoon session when Kent were just starting to believe that a victory was possible.

 

Contentious Discussion Point of the Day

Nothing to discuss.

 

Key Notes of the Day

• Start delayed until 12.15pm due to early morning thunderstorms
• 150 for 4 in the 49th over - Walker 28* Saggers 11* - Require 265 or 6 wickets
• Saggers lbw bowled Chapple 14 - 156 for 5 in the 53rd over - Walker 30*
• Ealham 4 dropped by Keedy - 168 for 5 in the 55th over - Walker 38*
• Lunch - 173 for 5 in the 56th over - Walker 40* Ealham 7* - Session 50 for 1 in 12 overs
• Walker 50 - 198 for 5 in the 62nd over - Ealham 20*
• 200 for 5 in the 63rd over - Walker 52* - Require 215 or 5 wickets
• Walker bowled Keedy (Behind legs) 52 - 200 for 6 in the 64th over - Ealham 20*
• 252 for 6 in the 82nd over - Ealham 45* Jones 22* - also 50 partnership
• Ealham 50 - 263 for 6 in the 83rd over - Jones 26*- Require 152 or 4 wickets
• Jones caught Flintoff bowled Keedy 31 - 279 for 7 in the 86th over - Require 136 or 3 wkts
• New ball taken in the 91st over by Peter Martin
• 301 for 7 in the 91st over - Ealham 72* Tredwell 5* - Require 114 or 3 wickets
• Tea - 303 for 7 from 93 overs - Ealham 75* Tredwell 6* - Session 130 for 2 from 37 overs
• Ealham caught Hooper bowled Martin 79 - 319 for 8 in the 97th over - Require 96 or 2 wkts
• Sheriyar caught Hegg bowled Chapple 5 - 324 for 9 in the 98th over - Tredwell 14*
• Tredwell lbw bowled Chapple 16 - 339 all out in the 104th over - Trott 12*
• Game finishes 16.50 - Lancashire 20 points beat Kent 5 points by 75 runs

 

Lancashire Man of the Match

Andrew Flintoff changed the direction of the match with his innings of 154. Without this contribution, Lancashire would not have scored sufficient runs to bowl Kent out twice.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 Neil Adams http://www.cricketimages.co.uk/adams-report/intro.html)