Kent 180 (Bell-Drummond 84*, Mullaney 3-2, Pattinson 3-30) and 214-7 (Gurney 3-61) lead Nottinghamshire 371 (Mullaney 168, Hales 85, Coles 3-99) by 23 runs
Scorecard
Darren Stevens went to hospital for a scan © Getty Images
Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens left Trent Bridge to undergo a scan after a nasty blow to the back of the head during the night session forced him to retire hurt as his side delayed Second Division leaders Nottinghamshire in their quest for another comprehensive win.
The 41-year-old, who ducked into a short ball from the left-arm pace bowler Harry Gurney, never lost consciousness but his helmet was split and Kent decided to take the safety-first option after he was still suffering from a headache two hours after suffering the blow.
On the field, he was passed fit to continue initially, with a replacement helmet, but left the field shortly afterwards, after facing seven more deliveries, which he was struggling to pick up under the lights
Stevens was able to speak to reporters as he left the ground but Kent head coach Matt Walker said: “Darren won’t take any further part in the game. Early assessment suggests a concussion.
“He’s struggling with a bit of vision in his left eye and he’s got a raging headache, so we’ll get him off to hospital and get him checked out because he’s not 100 per cent at all.”
Gurney, who is friends with Stevens, like him a former Leicestershire player, was unsettled by seeing the popular veteran struggling.
“He came in and was playing some shots so I tried to make life unpleasant for him because he’s not a spring chicken any more,” Gurney said. “I ran in and bowled a bouncer and caught him on the head, which as a bowler is tricky because you want to intimidate the batsman and encourage them to make a mistake.
“But Stevo is a mate of mine and it wasn’t nice to see him down on the deck like that, although I’ve just seen him and he’s ok.”
Stevens was the second player in the match sent for a scan after England fast bowler Jake Ball, who is still being assessed after suffering a knee injury on Tuesday.
The results were “still being studied” according to the final medical update of the day issued by Nottinghamshire, who will monitor both Ball and Stuart Broad before deciding, in consultation with England, whether either can play in Saturday’s Royal London One-Day Cup final against Surrey at Lord’s. Broad had a brief workout in the middle after stumps.
Earlier, Nottinghamshire reached the brink of seeing off one of their closest rivals in the Second Division promotion race only to be denied the satisfaction of doing so inside three days by a stubborn partnership witnessed by barely more than 100 spectators.
Wicketkeeper Adam Rouse and New Zealand fast bowler Adam Milne had added 47 for the eighth wicket – effectively the ninth with Stevens ruled out – when play finished at 9.46pm, which means Kent will resume on the final day with a lead of 23.
A horrible evening, cold as well as damp, could be held accountable for the lack of spectators rather than any rejection of the day-night concept. That 40 overs were played was a bonus, given that heavy rain had persisted well into the afternoon.
There will be question marks, though, over whether the pink ball under lights poses an unnecessary hazard for batsmen after the Stevens scare.
The odds were against Kent salvaging anything from the contest had been forcibly lengthened at the close of play on Tuesday when Sam Billings, 39 not out and the batsman who had looked most capable of leading a Kent fightback, set off to join the Lions squad in Worcester.
His place at today’s start – delayed until 5.45pm – was taken by 20-year-old Joe Weatherley, playing in only his seventh first-class match.
Weatherley helped Will Gidman add 25 to a fifth-wicket partnership worth 42 overnight before Steven Mullaney beat Gidman with an inswinger with the sixth ball of his first spell of the day, maintaining his reputation as a partnership breaker.
The young right-hander, who stands tall at the crease, appeared to wind up James Pattinson, who was given a talking-to by umpire Neil Bainton after a shy at the stumps off his own bowling struck Weatherley on the leg.
The Aussie pace bowler had the last word, yorking Weatherley shortly before Stevens left the field. Matt Coles, the all-rounder’s replacement at the crease, lasted two balls before feathering a catch to Chris Read off Gurney.
At that point Kent still trailed by 24 runs and the assumption was that, with Stevens ruled out, two more wickets would clinch victory for Nottinghamshire. But then another shower took more time out of the game and after play resumed at 9.10pm, Rouse and Milne were able not only to survive the 12 overs left but to require the home side to bat again on the final day.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo