Tawanda Muyeye unbeaten overnight as Kent eye mammoth fourth-innings run chase
Kent 138 and 275 for 5 (Robinson 112, Muyeye 76*) need 98 more runs to beat Middlesex 147 and 363 (Milnes 5-87)
The LV= Insurance County Championship Division Three title race is set for a nerve-shredding finale, after Kent reached 275 for 5 in their run chase against Middlesex. The hosts, currently second in the table, need another 98 to overhaul leaders Middlesex, following a pulsating third day at Canterbury.
Ollie Robinson hit 112, but he was out to the final ball of the day, caught by John Simpson off Tim Murtagh, who took 2 for 23.
Tawanda Muyeye is unbeaten on highest first-class score of 76 not out, after a stand of 128 with Robinson, as Kent recovered from 103 for 4 to give themselves a fighting chance going into day four.
Earlier Matt Milnes took 5 for 87 as Middlesex were dismissed for 363, setting Kent a target of 373 to win.
The visitors resumed on 298 for 6 and Luke Hollman was out for 29 in the second over of the morning when he chipped Marcus O’Riordan to Nathan Gilchrist at mid-on. Toby Roland-Jones was caught by Jack Leaning at third slip for six, after edging Milnes’ second delivery with the new ball.
Milnes then flattened two of Simpson’s stumps to bowl him for 46, cueing an aggressive cameo from Ethan Bamber, who hit 25 from 23 balls before Milnes bowled him middle-stump, leaving Murtagh unbeaten on five.
Kent’s chase suffered an early blow when Murtagh had Jordan Cox caught for one at third slip by Robbie White and Daniel Bell-Drummond fell early in the afternoon session, edging Bamber to Stevie Eskinazi at first slip.
Martin Andersson had Jack Leaning lbw for seven and Kent’s chances of chasing down the total took a major hit when Zak Crawley was leg before to Roland-Jones for 47.
However, Muyeye brought up his maiden first-class 50 when he drove Roland-Jones through cover for four and Robinson was on 75 when he survived a loud appeal when Middlesex were convinced he’d chipped Hollman to Sam Robson at point. Robinson stood his ground and after conferring, the umpires ruled he was not out.
Robinson subsequently pushed through Bamber point and scrambled a single to bring up his century, but Middlesex’s decision to take the new ball for the final over of the day was vindicated when Murtagh found his edge and he was caught in the slips.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo