Kent v Derbyshire day 2

Kent 352 and 38-2 (Haydon 2-15)

Derbyshire 304 (Reece 84, Andersson 37, Madsen 35, Dudgeon 4-78, Milnes 3-87)

Kent lead by 86 runs

I stand by my assertion that this was an even game last night. Derbyshire had taken ten wickets and had the same number of their own in hand. The pitch, while offering some movement, was clearly good for batting, as the better players showed. 

So the first hour this morning made for uncomfortable viewing. 

Caleb Jewell looks a shadow of the player of 2025 and has not suggested permanence in his displays so far. He has a more pronounced movement across his crease than last year and perhaps this is affecting his balance, but neither he, nor Derbyshire can afford continued failure. Were he not the overseas player, his place would be under threat and that status should not make any difference. The overseas batter is crucial to Derbyshire and Caleb's struggles are part of the reason for that of the side so far. 

Mitch Wagstaff has been in a rich vein of form and if he cannot get in the side when one of his rivals is clearly struggling, one has to question why he is on the staff. He is entitled to feel harshly done by.

Harry Came played some nice shots, but his tendency to 'push' at good length balls when not quite at the pitch cost him here. As for Matthew Montgomery, he played a couple of delightful on side strokes but then 'held the pose' when Milnes brought one back into him, which made the umpire's decision considerably easier than it should have been.

It is these things that frustrate as a Derbyshire fan. You take ten wickets on the first day and have advanced the game. Poor batting cost the top order - again - and any side with aspirations of improvement simply cannot hope to do so, when putting themselves behind the eight ball  with such frequency.

Since the opening day stand of 82, our first wicket has put on stands of 0, 10, 8, 9 and 30. It puts pressure on those to come and gives impetus to the opposition. When looking for small gains on the way to improvement, that's an obvious one, right there.

Yet it was a poor effort down the order. When your top nine make double figures, yet no one bar Luis Reece goes past 37, it is hugely disappointing. Kent bowled tidily, but this isn't one of the strongest attacks in the division, especially with the players they have missing. Keith Dudgeon bowled well, but before this match his wickets were costing over 40 runs each, which tells a story.

For a while, Madsen and Andersson made batting look straightforward, but enough deliveries either kept low or lifted a little to suggest that Derbyshire made the wrong call at the toss - not for the first time. It would be interesting to know if the current uncertainty around the top order was in any way a contributory factor towards this.

That Derbyshire got within fifty of the home score was down to an outstanding innings by Luis Reece. He hit five sixes in an innings that again showed his strength of character, as well as his talent. Is the county missing a trick in batting him so low in the order? You could argue that having him open with Mitch Wagstaff, as a mentor perhaps, would not weaken the batting in any way. 

Is there potential in a side that leads with Reece, Wagstaff, Came, Madsen, Montgomery, Andersson, Guest etc? I really hope Jewell comes good, but an average of 18 is worrying.

When Kent went in again, the impressive Haydon removed both openers in another excellent opening spell. Rory isn't especially quick, nor does he try to be, but he puts the ball in the right areas and nips it around. His is an excellent example of someone waiting for opportunity, then grasping it with both hands when it came.

When rain brought about an early close, Kent were 86 ahead with eight wickets in hand. Probably slight favourites now, with two days to go, as the pitch won't get any better.

The first session tomorrow will be very important and whoever comes out on top in it will likely take the win points, if the threatened rain stays away long enough for a positive result.

I'd love to be optimistic, but until Arthur's men have shown they can handle pressure, I am finding that increasingly difficult.