[Marco4]

Been a decent week in cricketing terms for me. Yorkshire and Kent both qualified in the RLODC, and I had a piece about Kent published on The Full Toss

That's here, with a mixed bag of comments at the end, including one very kind one. Oddly, that piece was prompted by a Taylor Swift song, so that's a thing that happened in real life.

Yesterday, there was no accessible top level cricket, Kent are at Gloucestershire (how many times do they play Glos - it feels like every week) so Mrs Marco (Di, to those of you who've met her) arranged for us to go to Gravesend.



I was straight on CricketArchive, and the Bat and Ball Ground is just a few minutes from the station, so I wandered down and took in half an hour or so of the Hayes Second XI innings. It's been quite a big ground for Kent, Gravesend. Les Ames got 212* there exactly 71 years ago yesterday - the paper reports tell he was given out, started back to the pavilion, and then the decision was overturned - he was on a hot streak then, topped the averages with 110. WG Grace played (bloody Gloucestershire again) there a few days after what was then seen as his 100th Hundred. He got 258, I think. Maybe 257. Anyway, it was his 101st Hundred since downgraded to his 99th. Colin Cowdrey got his first 50 there (against Leicestershire this time) but...well, he's hardly Grace, is he?

[Marco4]

I had the day off work on Wednesday to go to the first day of Kent's game against Warwickshire at Tunbridge Wells; it's a beautiful venue, the Nevill Ground, though the rhodedendrons weren't in bloom just yet. I saw Kent bat first, Joe Denly making a sturdy 59 and Heino Kuhn a typically busy 30-odd.



They're talking of the ground losing its game next year because of the quality of the pitch, but that's bobbins.

---

I wasn't sure what to do on Saturday, it looked as though it might finish early, but with Warwickshire just one down, it looks as though I'll be back down at the Nevill tomorrow, then Canterbury on Monday and Lord's on Saturday.

[themaclad]

Out ground cricket is the way to go let them play all the one day cricket at the bigger grounds take the Championship to out grounds

[Marco4]

I do love an outground - this is, what, my fifth day at one this season, but Championship cricket at Canterbury is a thing of beauty. I fell back in love with cricket watching that.

Warwickshire are currently favourites to win this, which would be the highest ever County Championship run chase. Their highest second wicket stand is 465. This one would need to take them above 500 odd to beat that, but we'll see. Thought it was over just then, but the catch behind wasn't given

[themaclad]

Should have put cricket away from Test grounds

[Marco4]

A few minutes after the above post, Dom Sibley was out, breaking that mammoth stand. Ian Bell hung around, but played a few loose shots early afternoon as though his concentration might be going, and eventually got trapped LBW for 172. After that, Adam Hose played a good knock (he always does when I see him) but the wickets just kept trickling away and Warwickshire ended up 78 short - pretty much the same as their first innings deficit.



Great win for Kent, this was.

[Marco4]

Hurrah! I was back home yesterday evening, hopped on a train straight after work and made it into Canterbury at a few minutes past six. First ball, Callum Haggett was out. Sad days.



Kent rallied, Rouse, Podmore and someone else getting a few runs late of (there was a fair few Middlesex in, bloody odd seeing as they represent a county that doesn't exist, but one of them insisted on calling Harry Podmore "Harry the Pod" every time he mentioned him. It was odd.

Eventually, bugger me, Kent got a batting point, but Rouse holed out looking for a second. The lights went on and Middlesex came out.



Grant Stewart was bowling the pink ball round corners (his was the third name I couldn't think of above). He took one wicket and then Middlesex cried off for good light - had the sun in their eyes. A new one on me. It didn't matter, though, he kept at it after the break and the Seaxes crumbled. 54/9 at stumps. Great for Kent, great to stick in the craw of the Middlesex fan who jumped in the air (in the bloody air) when he found out Alistair Cook was out for 96. That's Alistair Cook, of Essex, not playing in this match, or even this division.

[Marco4]

Not a lot to add from yesterday. Hants were better all around, Kent never got going, and Lord's was a bit too busy for my taste. Good day out, but no real contest.