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Day 1: Fleming rescues faltering Kent

Rob Wildman

Kent 287-5 v Glamorgan

When Duncan Fletcher bustled off to London to be interviewed for the post of England coach he must have feared for the health of the Glamorgan side he was temporarily leaving behind.

Before he donned his blazer and tie he had guided the pre-match preparations, after which captain Matthew Maynard lost the toss, giving Kent first use of excellent batting conditions.

Surprisingly, Glamorgan lost their accuracy only after tea, ironically when Fletcher had returned from his London appointment. Kent were rescued from the embarrassment of fading in the afternoon sun by an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 115 between Robert Key and Matthew Fleming.

Up until then a struggling side - one win in seven championship games - had chugged to 172 for five in 59 overs. While Key, the opener, took his role of providing the ballast to painstaking lengths by batting for the entire day, Fleming's attack, helped by an enticing short boundary, altered the balance of the day.

Fleming, who gave Key a five-hour start, made his best championship score since August 1997 to be 65 not out at the close. Key was also unbeaten, on 91, having hit seven fours to his captain's 12. Overall Key, the England A tourist, made his runs from 294 balls and gave only one sharp chance, to gully, when on 33.

Glamorgan gained the early advantage immediately after lunch when Simon Jones trapped Ed Smith leg-before on 49 with the third ball of the afternoon. Four more wickets fell in the session, including the dismissal of Andrew Symonds, whose 26 off 41 balls had provided most of the entertainment.

For Jones, the wicket of Smith and that of Mark Ealham was reward for persevering despite being called for 15 no-balls in his 20 overs, which yielded 91 runs. A sign that Robert Croft faces a demanding match came when the England spinner was summoned to be first change. In all he delivered 24 overs and gained Symonds' scalp when the Australian edged to Dean Cosker at slip.

Day 2: Fleming left frustrated

Rob Wildman

Glamorgan (283-2) trail Kent (332) by 49 runs

Matthew Fleming uttered a phrase that his Eton masters surely didn't teach him when he fell six runs short of a century yesterday. The Kent captain's frustrated curse also reflected the fear that his team were falling short of the mark on a good batting pitch.

Kent, resuming at 287 for five, lost their bottom half to Steve Watkin in a morning spell of five for 23 in 9.1 overs of nagging accuracy. The downfall started in the first over when Robert Key was bowled without offering a shot, having added one run to his overnight 91.

Fleming added 29, including a six, to his 65, before being skittled by Watkin. A day of ascendancy for Glamorgan was continued by Steve James' 103 made smoothly and calmly off 175 balls in 4.25 hours.

James, ably supported by Alun Evans in an opening stand of 112, then dominated a second-wicket partnership of 122 with Adrian Dale before he was caught behind.

Day 3: Maynard back in the old routine

Rob Wildman

Kent (332 & 78-1) trail Glamorgan (544) by 134 runs

Injury and poor form have meant that Matthew Maynard last made a century for Glamorgan on that triumphant weekend 21 months ago when his county won the 1997 championship at Taunton.

Yesterday Maynard was celebrating once more, punching the air in delight and giving the daffodil emblem on his helmet a quick kiss after his 44th first-class hundred. His 170, made in 18 minutes over five hours off 252 balls, was his first this summer. He broke a finger in fielding drills six weeks ago.

Despite the absence, Maynard quickly found his stride helped by the easy-paced Canterbury pitch. Typically, he pulled and drove forcefully, picking off 23 fours and one six - over the short legside boundary from Min Patel - which took him to 150.

For Glamorgan it was a second day of dominance, having started out at 283 for two in reply to Kent's 332. Maynard, 35 not out overnight, was the eighth departure, edging Patel behind.

In contrast to Maynard's joy, there was more toil and struggle for his counterpart Matthew Fleming. The Kent captain tried to re-flate his dispirited men through example, especially after lunch when he delivered a luckless nine-over spell which brought a number of exasperated cries and un- successful appeals.

Kent need to regroup to ease restless members. They vented their displeasure at bad results when coach John Wright attended a forum on Wednesday evening.

Apart from suggestions about poor bowling and batting there is not too much for the New Zealander to worry about. His side will need to continue to bat well today after an encouraging response in the final session when Ed Smith finished unbeaten on 48 though he lost his opening partner, Robert Key.

Day 4: Glamorgan denied as Fulton stands ground

Rob Wildman

Kent (332 & 317-4) drew with Glamorgan (554)

Any chance of Glamorgan pressing for victory was ended in a morning session of dropped chances and a disputed catch when David Fulton, the Kent No 3, refused to walk having made 31. He went on to score an obdurate, unbeaten 126 which helped earn his side a draw.

Glamorgan claimed that Dean Cosker had caught Fulton's edge at the second attempt at second slip in Darren Thomas's fifth over of the day. After the players failed to settle the argument they turned to umpires Ken Palmer and Jeremy Lloyds, who gave the batsman the benefit of the doubt.

Palmer, standing at the bowler's end, said he was unsighted by Thomas following through and that his colleague did not have a proper view of the incident from square leg. Television replays later showed that Glamorgan had a fair claim.

Fulton said he was unsure whether Cosker had caught the ball and admitted that a few words were exchanged. ``But that made me more determined to bat on,'' he said. Fulton's 233-ball century, which did not gain any applause from the Glamorgan players, was his first since his marathon 207 against Yorkshire at Maidstone last August.

The Fulton incident was part of a frustrating morning for Glamorgan. They started 134 ahead, with Kent 78 for one, but saw Cosker drop Ed Smith at slip before substitute Owen Parkin, at long leg, failed to pick up the flight of a top-edged hook from Matthew Walker.

While the first miss was quickly atoned for when Robert Croft caught Smith at slip five overs later, Walker joined Fulton in a third-wicket partnership of 184 in 61 overs which took Kent out of the danger zone. Walker departed for 93 when bowled by Cosker, to be followed two balls later by Andrew Symonds, trapped leg-before.

Matthew Maynard, the Glamorgan captain, later said there was no ill-feeling towards Fulton. ``Perhaps 10 years ago a batsman would have walked in such circumstances, but times are different. We felt he was out but the umpires were unsighted and that's the end of the matter.''

One matter not yet settled is the future of Glamorgan coach Duncan Fletcher. He insisted yesterday that he had not yet been offered the England coaching job. ``I think a lot of guesswork is going on,'' he said.