COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, Uxbridge:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY ONE: Kent 390-4 (Kent 4pts, Middlesex 1pt)
9-12 September 2009

Kent batsman Darren Stevens hit 24 fours in his unbeaten 129

Darren Stevens hit an unbeaten century to give Kent the advantage over Middlesex on day one at Uxbridge.

After the visitors won the toss, openers Sam Northeast (84) and Rob Key (46) put on 116 for the first wicket.

Pacemen Tim Murtagh (2-74) and Chris Silverwood then struck to check's Kent's progress at 156-3.

But Stevens (129no) combined with Martin van Jaarsveld (86) for a fourth-wicket stand of 193 as the Division Two leaders closed on 390-4.

With Northeast and Key making untroubled progress in the morning session, it was a surprise when the Kent captain chipped a tame return catch back to Silverwood.

Murtagh then struck twice just after lunch, having Northeast caught behind by John Simpson and then disturbing Geraint Jones' off-stump when the wicketkeeper offered no shot.

Stevens and van Jaarsveld batted out the rest of the afternoon session, the South African having already reached his half-century when tea was taken at 235-3.

However, it was Stevens, who had earlier taken 38 minutes to get off the mark, who dominated the evening's play, hitting 10 fours in a 13-over period to overtake his partner.

Van Jaarsveld's 158-ball effort was eventually ended when he was athletically caught by Adam London at short extra cover to give Steve Finn his first wicket.

But Stevens, dropped at slip by Dawid Malan off Gareth Berg in the day's final over, was still there at the close as Kent moved nearer to promotion back to Division One.

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