LV COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Chelmsford:
Match Drawn. Kent 474 and 204, Essex 341 and 254-4
Kent 11 pts, Essex 8 pts
Match scorecard

Cook has just two half-centuries to his name in eight innings this summer

Alistair Cook hit his highest Championship score of the season as Essex and Kent had to settle for a draw on the final day at the County Ground.

Cook occupied the crease for nearly three hours for his 72 as Essex, chasing 338 in pursuit of a second win of the season, closed on 254-4.

Tom Westley was unbeaten on 58, to add to his 132 in the first innings.

Earlier, Kent slumped from 150-5 to 204 all out, leg spinner Danish Kaneria finishing with figures of 4-68.

Essex's target of 338 was from a minimum of 78 overs, but they had to settle for the safety-first approach following the dismissal of number five Ryan ten Doeschate.

He arrived in the 50th over with 188 still required but was unable to produce the fireworks needed to mount any sort of challenge.

The Dutchman made only 13 from 17 deliveries before he was trapped leg before by Azhar Mahmood (1-54), leaving Westley and captain Mark Pettini (40 not out) to drop anchor.

Kent even had time to send down additional overs but they were unable to separate the fifth-wicket pair.

Earlier, England opener Cook never really hit top gear in his sedate 72. His innings contained half-a-dozen boundaries before his defences were breached by occasional leg-spinner Joe Denly (2-100).

Denly also removed Jaik Mickleburgh, trapped lbw victim when sweeping, while James Hockley (1-8) had Billy Godleman caught at slip to end a first-wicket partnership of 52.

Soon afterwards Hockley withdrew from the action with a pulled hamstring.

Kent had earlier lost their remaining wickets for 54 runs, with the first two claimed by David Masters.

That paved the way for leg-spinner Kaneria to claim the three remaining wickets, including that of Sam Northeast, who scored 71 to record his second half-century of the game.

Kent, who are still looking for their first Championship win of the campaign, emerged with 11 points from the game while Essex claimed eight points.

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