Worcestershire v Kent: Scores and match report from County Championship Division Two

Final match scores (New Road)

Worcestershire win by 4 wickets  

Kent 1st inns: 260 (73.1 overs. Coles 47; Leach 3-42, Tongue 3-56)

Kent 2nd inns: 474 (116.4 overs. Denly 227, Rouse 68; Leach 4-79, Hastings 2-80, Tongue 2-27, Moeen 2-104)

Worcestershire 1st inns: 336 (85.4 overs. Clarke 142, Leach 57no; Coles 6-84)

Worcestershire 2nd inns: 401-6 (81.5 overs. Mitchell 142, Clarke 110no; Yasir 4-128)

Day four report

Daryl Mitchell and Joe Clarke powered Worcestershire to a four-wicket victory over Kent which lifted them into the Specsavers County Championship Division Two promotion places.

Mitchell scored his fourth century in the last five Championship matches as Worcestershire galloped to their 399 target and achieved the third-highest most successful chase in their history with 19.1 overs to spare.

The former captain followed his centuries against Derbyshire, Northamptonshire and Sussex with 142 at New Road, while Clarke scored 110 off 122 balls.

Mitchell employed the cut shot to deadly effect and was seldom troubled in helping Worcestershire to chalk up their fifth win in seven Championship games this season.

He was given excellent support by Moeen Ali (63) and then Clarke, who scored two centuries in a Championship match for the first time.

It was just the tonic the home side needed after the departure of Tom Kohler-Cadmore to Yorkshire, two successive Championship defeats and a Royal London One-Day Cup semi-final setback.

The game see-sawed both ways before Mitchell and co tipped the balance in Worcestershire's favour after largely negating the threat of Pakistan wrist spinner Yasir Shah.

It was Shah who finally sent Mitchell on his way for 142 from 243 balls with 20 boundaries after a stand of 175 in 38.2 overs with Clarke. He departed to a standing ovation all around New Road after another invaluable knock and then Clarke ensured.

Worcestershire resumed on 16-0 and openers Brett D'Oliveira (27) and Mitchell extended their partnership to 52 before the former was bowled by a fine delivery from Darren Stevens which nipped back.

The occasional ball misbehaved off a length from the Diglish End but Mitchell and Moeen were able to score freely during a stand of 112 in 22 overs.

An under-hit pull had led to Moeen's downfall in the first innings but he profited from the stroke in reaching his half century off 47 balls.

The pair looked so much in control that it was a surprise when the England star tried to work Shah on the leg side and was lbw to the last ball before lunch.

Clarke then joined forces with Mitchell and maintained the required tempo throughout the afternoon session.

After Mitchell's departure, there was a slight concern for the home side as Shah struck twice more in dismissing George Rhodes (two) and Ben Cox (two), but Clarke kept his nerve, passing three figures off 115 balls with 14 fours and a six.

Some aggressive shots from Ross Whiteley - including two sixes - effectively sealed the win before he became Shah's fifth victim with two runs needed.

Day three report

Joe Denly demonstrated immense powers of concentration in the sweltering heat to steer Kent into a position of strength on day three of the Specsavers County Championship clash with Worcestershire at New Road.

The 31-year-old batsman resumed on his overnight 67 and batted for a total of nearly eight hours in scoring a career-best 227 of 474 all out to leave Worcestershire a 399-run victory target.

His marathon knock surpassed his 206 not out against Northampton at Wantage Road last season.

It rescued Kent from the real possibility of losing inside three days, after they had lost their sixth wicket shortly before lunch when their overall lead was only 129.

Now they will have high hopes of pushing for victory on Thursday with Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah the ace up their sleeve on what is still a good wicket for batting.

On the longest day of the year, Denly's superb knock must also have felt never-ending for the wilting Worcestershire attack which stuck gamely to its task but was gradually worn down in the soaring temperatures.

It was his second century in three Championship matches and has given Kent a strong platform to test the resolution of the home side in the Division Two promotion battle.

He was given excellent support by wicketkeeper Adam Rouse, who made 68 in a stand of 149 in 39 overs - a Kent seventh-wicket record in matches against Worcestershire.

Denly had batted for a total of 468 minutes, had faced 320 balls and struck 24 fours and five sixes when he finally holed out to Ed Barnard at long-off off Joe Leach.

It had been a different scenario at the start of the day after Worcestershire skipper Leach had bowled an impressive opening spell which yielded two wickets.

Joe Weatherley had not added to his overnight score of 24 when he was caught at second slip by Daryl Mitchell and then Darren Stevens shouldered arms and was trapped lbw.

Denly went to three figures in the grand manner with a six over long-on off Moeen Ali.

When Will Gidman drove at John Hastings and nicked through to Ross Whiteley at first slip, Kent were in a position of some discomfort at 205 for six.

But then Rouse proved a willing ally for Denly and the pair flourished with the former reaching a determined half-century off 105 balls.

A wicket did not fall in the afternoon session until the last ball before tea when Rouse popped a Moeen delivery up to short-leg.

There was no respite after the resumption for Worcestershire as Matt Coles clubbed 39 and Yasir 27 in stands of 54 and 41 respectively.

Denly's double-ton came up off 299 balls with 23 fours and three sixes and a two off Josh Tongue brought him his new career-best.

Worcestershire openers Mitchell and Brett D'Oliveira negotiated five overs in reaching 16 without loss by the close. 

Day two report

Joe Clarke made a return to form with his first century of the season for Worcestershire and then Josh Tongue, another highly-rated young player, pressed home the advantage against Kent in the Specsavers County Championship Division Two encounter at New Road.

Clarke scored five Championship hundreds last summer and has firmly established himself as a member of the England Lions side for the past 18 months.

But the 21-year-old has struggled to build on several promising starts this summer until he oozed class and composure in making 142, scored off 197 balls with 22 fours.

His efforts were largely responsible for Worcestershire obtaining a first innings lead of 76 as they were bowled out for 336 in the promotion battle despite a six wicket haul from Matt Coles.

Then 19-year-old Tongue, who is in his first season of senior cricket, again demonstrated his potential by picking up two wickets in his initial five over burst.

He is still a work in progress but now has 26 Championship wickets to his name and troubles batsmen with his pace and ability to extract bounce.

It left Kent ending the day on 120 for three and with a lead of 44.

But Worcestershire will not want to chase a substantial target in their final innings as Pakistan spinner Yasir Shah is likely to pose an increasing threat during the latter half of the game between the second and third-placed teams.

Clarke was significantly aided in Worcestershire recovering from 48 for three by George Rhodes - making his first appearance of the campaign - and skipper Joe Leach.

Rhodes, occupying the number five slot previously held by the departed Tom Kohler-Cadmore, figured in a stand of 131 in 33 overs before, on 45, he edged Coles to Will Gidman at second slip.

It was the only wicket to fall in the morning session but Shah quickly got to work as Ben Cox (19) and Ross Whiteley (0), the latter attempting an ugly swipe across the line, were trapped lbw.

Ed Barnard (16) was unfortunate to be run out as Gidman deflected Clarke's drive onto the stumps at the bowler's end and, at 240 for seven, Worcestershire were still 20 runs in arrears.

But not for the first time in adversity, Leach proved a willing ally as he dominated an eighth wicket stand of 90 in 17 overs.

Four boundaries in one over from Gidman steered Worcestershire into the lead and he reached his half century off 55 balls with a straight six off Joe Denly.

The stand was broken the final ball before tea when Clarke was caught behind off Coles who then mopped up the innings by accounting for John Hastings and Tongue to finish with six for 84 from 18.4 overs.

Leach finished unbeaten on 57 and was soon at work with the ball as Daniel Bell-Drummond (0) edged through to Cox in his first over.

Tongue came into attack and Sean Dickson (12) provided Cox with another catch and then captain Sam Northeast (14) was yorked.

Denly ensured there were no more alarms for the visitors with an unbeaten 67 but there is work to do before Shah will have a realistic total to work with.

Day one report

Worcestershire's bowlers bounced back in impressive style from their weekend semi-final mauling in dismissing Kent for 260 on day one of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two promotion battle at New Road.

But then Kent, second in the table, responded themselves with the ball despite a boundary-laced cameo from England all-rounder Moeen Ali, who made 37 off 16 balls, as third-placed Worcestershire closed on 95 for three.

The home side, who conceded 361 in the Royal London One-Day Cup clash with Surrey, may have feared the worse after Kent skipper Sam Northeast won the toss on a good batting wicket in the blazing heat.

Skipper Joe Leach and 19-year-old Josh Tongue in particular impressed with the ball and Kent, despite lower-order resistance from Matt Coles and Adam Rouse, would have been disappointed to be bowled out in 73.1 overs.

All of their batsmen except openers Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sean Dickson got into double figures but no-one went past 50.

As well as Leach and Tongue bowled, some of the shot selection of the Kent batsmen was questionable and their score was below-par.

Leach bowled an inspired opening spell and sent back openers Bell-Drummond and Dickson during an initial burst of 7-3-7-2.

Bell-Drummond nicked through to Daryl Mitchell at first slip and then Dickson tried to work to leg and the ball struck his pads and bounced onto the stumps.

Joe Denly drove Ed Barnard straight to Brett D'Oliveira at point and then Tongue bowled a fiery spell after lunch which accounted for Northeast, who made 42, and Will Gidman.

In between Joe Weatherley wafted at a wide Leach delivery and was caught behind and Darren Stevens, with 39, flat batted John Hastings straight into the hands of deep extra cover.

Kent were then 139 for seven but resistance came at last from Coles and Rouse who opted to counter-attack in adding 79 in 16 overs.

It needed the return of Tongue to break the stand shortly before tea as Rouse, on 34, provided Mitchell with a third catch and then Coles played back to Moeen and was lbw for 47.

Leach finished with three for 42 to take his season's wicket tally to 36 and Tongue, in his first season of senior cricket, three for 56 to move onto 24 victims.

The wickets were soon tumbling when Worcestershire launched their reply and D'Oliveira failed to trouble the scorers before he was pouched at second slip off Stevens.

Moeen was ultra aggressive in his approach with nine fours, a mixture of glorious cover drives and edges which just eluded the slip cordon.

But then he fell for the three-card trick and was caught at deep midwicket off Coles, who then had opener Mitchell taken at third slip.

The positive aspect for Worcestershire was Joe Clarke looking like he was returning to form during an unbeaten 34. He received good support from George Rhodes, in his first senior appearance of the season, during an unbroken stand of 47.