Holden century rescues Middlesex at Kent

Rothesay County Championship, Division Two, St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury (day two)

Kent 416: Benjamin 70; Morgan 5-104

Middlesex 319-6: Holden 143*, Gohar 62*; Milnes 2-51

Middlesex (5 pts) trail Kent (6 pts) by 97 runs

Match scorecard

Max Holden hit an unbeaten 143 as Middlesex reached 319-6 on day two of their County Championship game against Kent at Canterbury, to trail by 97 at stumps.

Holden's unbroken 160-run partnership with Zafar Gohar helped Middlesex avoid the follow-on and Kent were left to rue a number of missed chances in the field, having reduced the visitors to 159-6 at one stage.

Zafar was 62 not out at the close.

Earlier Seb Morgan took career-best figures of 5-104 as Kent were bowled out for 416.

The hosts began the second day on 356-7 and Tom Helm took the first wicket, getting Matt Milnes caught behind for 18, before Morgan took his fifth when Keith Dudgeon swatted him to Leus du Plooy for 30.

That left Kent 14 short of a fourth bonus point and the chase for that went to the final ball of the 110th over. After four dots Matt Parkinson scrambled to the striker's end, narrowly avoiding a run out. He then hit the sixth ball of Gohar's over for six over midwicket, to loud cheers.

Parkinson finally went for a handy 13 when he edged Toby Roland-Jones to Helm, leaving Hasan Mahmud unbeaten on 22 on his home debut.

Milnes was unlucky not to get a wicket in his first over, and he did get Sam Robson lbw for one in his second.

Ben Geddes was his next victim, edging him to Grant Stewart at fourth slip and he nearly got a third before lunch when Stewart could not hang on to a one-handed chance from Holden.

Middlesex were on 32-2 at lunch and lost du Plooy for 14 in the second over after it.

Hasan went round the wicket to the left-hander, who ill-advisedly left his third legitimately delivery and lost his off stump.

Hasan then sent Caleb Falconer's off stump flying for nine and then produced a bouncer that Joe Cracknell appeared to edge into his helmet.

Ekansh Singh misjudged the chance at short leg and Cracknell and Holden put together Middlesex's first serious partnership.

Holden clubbed Parkinson for six to reach 50 and although he was then put down by Dawkins at short leg, Parkinson removed Cracknell at the end of the same over when he had him caught by Dudgeon at first slip.

Morgan fell in near identical fashion for six, leaving Middlesex on 180-6 at tea, but Holden and Zafar swung the momentum completely in the final session.

Holden steered Hasan through long leg for four to reach three figures. Batting looked significantly easier and when a rare chance did arise, when Zafar misjudged Dudgeon, Ekansh hesitated at square leg.

A wide from Parkinson saw Middlesex to a second batting point shortly before stumps.

Report by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay.