Kent blow Lancashire away

Martin Saggers chipped in with four wickets as Kent dominated against Lancs

Robbie Joseph and Martin Saggers shared nine wickets as Kent bustled out Lancashire for 125 at Canterbury in Division One of the LV County Championship.

The hosts have an overall lead of 303 runs and ended the day on 145 for one after Robbie Joseph (5-34) and Martin Saggers (4-26), were instrumental in dismissing Lancashire.

After losing Rob Key for four, Joe Denly and Neil Dexter produced a brilliant unbroken stand of 139 for the second wicket.

Dexter will go into the third day on 69 from 121 balls with 10 fours, while his partner Denly has 63 from 126 deliveries, including seven boundaries.

Earlier, the fall of wickets in the visitors' first innings began when Paul Horton inside-edged the first ball from Joseph on to middle stump.

In his next over Joseph had Mal Loye (two) taken at first slip and Amjad Khan then trapped Mark Chilton (one) leg before 10 minutes before lunch, which was taken on eight for three.

The fifth over after the break gave Joseph his fourth wicket when Darren Stevens, at third slip, held Francois Du Plessis for 10 and the visitors were struggling on 16 for four.

They had just about doubled their total when Joseph struck again, having Luke Sutton caught at first slip for four.

Just before rain brought a brief stoppage on 45 for six, Joseph trapped Steven Croft lbw for 13. His figures read 5-19 at that stage in a total of 37 for six.

Lancashire captain Stuart Law, suffering from back spasms, came out to bat with a runner and, along with Glen Chapple, took the total to 63 before a third stoppage for rain.

Meanwhile, Joseph had been replaced by Saggers, who struck twice in successive overs having Law caught behind for seven and trapping Dominic Cork lbw with the first ball to reduce Lancashire to 73 for eight.

After a late flourish by Sajid Mahmood, who hit 33 from 20 balls and put on 46 off 28 deliveries for the last wicket with Chapple, Saggers wrapped up the innings when he had Mahmood caught at slip.

Chapple remained unbeaten with a fine innings of 44 from 40 balls.

Soon after the start of the day's play, Geraint Jones, on 80 overnight, registered his first century of the season and the seventh of his first-class career.

Jones had guided his side to 283 all out an hour after play had resumed with Kent 241 for seven.

Khan fell without adding to his overnight score of 16 but after a stand of 31 for the ninth wicket, Cork had Joseph (16) caught at slip.

In the meantime, Jones had brought up his 100 from 188 balls after hitting two boundaries in an over from Mahmood.

His innings had spanned 197 balls over four and a quarter hours and, in dismissing him lbw, Chapple finished with 3-56, while Cork claimed 3-43.