22-07-2025
Glamorgan edge low-scoring first day as Kent fold
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (day one)Kent 155 (53.2 overs): Bell-Drummond 42; Van der Gugten 3-27, Harris 3-35Glamorgan 125-4 (42 overs): Ingram 32*; Agar 3-29Glamorgan 3 pts, Kent 1 ptMatch scorecard
Glamorgan edged day one against Kent as they ground their way to 125-4 in reply to the visitors' modest 155 all out, which featured a spectacular van der Gugten and James Harris took three wickets each as Kent lost their last six wickets for seven runs in the Bell-Drummond top-scored with 42, while the visitors suffered the loss of Joe Denly who hobbled off with a leg injury after making 17. But Wes Agar led a disciplined reply from the Kent attack with three wickets in the home reply, with Colin Ingram's 32 not out the top score in a long evening session. It was a hard-fought day with the Kookaburra ball and a slowish wicket keeping scoring rates down.
Glamorgan were led by Kiran Carlson in the absence of former Kent man Sam Northeast on paternity leave, with Billy Root, Asitha Fernando and Ned Leonard coming into the side while the visitors recalled Chris Benjamin, Joe Denly and Grant seemed little early difficulty for the Kent openers as they dispatched the Kookaburra ball to the boundary regularly, before the in-form Ben Compton edged a catch behind off Fernando for 17, while Jaydn Denly drove James Harris to cover for 29. He was replaced by his uncle Joe Denly, but Denly senior's second Championship appearance of the season was ill-fated as he survived a chance to short leg off Timm van der Gugten, only to get injured setting off for a single at 81-2. Chris Benjamin and Bell-Drummond steered them to a solid position of 111-2 at lunch, but when Benjamin was judged lbw to spinner Ben Kellaway for 23, the Kent innings stalled and eventually fell apart in der Gugten removed Joey Evison for 14, Harry Finch also caught behind for one and Matt Parkinson first ball, while Harris got the key wicket of Bell-Drummond leg-before as Carlson rotated the bowling frequently and effectively. Zain Ul Hassan's second ball dismissed Agar and Harris had Matt Quinn caught behind as the last three failed to contribute, with Grant Stewart left stranded as Joe Denly was not fit to reappear. Kent's bowlers started in disciplined fashion as Agar bowled Asa Tribe off bat and pad, while Carlson's counter-attack was ended by Matt Quinn finding the edge of his bat after he raced to 27 off 25 (8) tried to dig in on his seasonal debut but found an attempted pull off Agar somehow flying to Benjamin who took a fine catch at slip, and Agar then ended Ul Hassan's long vigil on 27 with a vicious bouncer which brushed his gloves for Finch to take. Ingram hit Evison for six early on but he and Kellaway (23 not out) mostly reined in their shots in the last hour of a day which failed to produce an individual half-century or a 50 stand.
