Somerset CCC suffer heavy defeat to Kent to end season

The hosts came out on top by an innings and 151 runs as Hamid Qadri hit a career-high 87 in Kent’s first innings total of 492, a lead of 290.

It was a disappointing day for Somerset who were dismissed for just 139 second time around, Matt Quinn taking three for 14 and Nathan Gilchrist, Daniel Bell-Drummond and Qadri all taking two wickets apiece.

The result means Kent leapfrog Somerset in the final standings.

The visitors made an early breakthrough when Conor McKerr was removed for six, caught at third slip by Tom Abell off Craig Overton, but the bowler limped off with an injury soon afterwards and the runs began to flow.

Qadri resumed on 27 not out and raced past 50 with three boundaries off successive Jack Brooks deliveries, the third of which flew inches over the slip cordon.

Gilchrist joined Qadri and put on 48 for the ninth wicket before he was bowled by Aldridge for 14, but Qadri then hit Green for two successive sixes and a four and he eventually fell 13 short of a maiden First Class ton when he edged Aldridge behind.

Somerset didn’t even make it to the tea interval, subsiding in 40.4 overs. Ollie Robinson was allowed to lead Kent into the field to mark his final game before leaving for Durham and he caught Andrew Umeed off Quinn for three in the third over.

Qadri then bowled Abell middle stump for five, leaving Somerset on 19 for two at lunch.

Quinn removed George Bartlett for four, caught by Tawanda Muyeye at short midwicket with the fifth ball of the afternoon session, and Joey Evison took his maiden First Class wicket for Kent when he drew an edge from James Rew, who fell for ten to a sharp catch by Daniel Bell-Drummond at third slip.

Green was then dropped by Jack Leaning off Gilchrist but in the next over he was caught behind off Bell-Drummond.

When Bell-Drummond then had Tom Lammonby caught by Zak Crawley at first slip for 23, Overton limped on without a runner and immediately smacked a four, but he was clearly struggling and Nathan Gilchrist soon sent Aldridge’s off stump cartwheeling for 15.

Gilchrist then had Overton caught by Crawley for a brave 12 and despite some entertaining swinging from Sajid Khan, who made 40 from 19 balls, the victory was confirmed when, having hit Qadri for successive sixes, he tried his luck for a third time and was caught on the boundary by Muyeye.

At the end of a disappointing day, club captain Tom Abell said: “We’ve obviously been humbled by Kent this week.

"There was a special feeling about last week because we were down in a relegation scrap. It meant a lot to us and everyone connected with the club to stay up.

"It was a great feeling, but obviously turning up this week, we were intent on finishing well and not resting on our laurels after that win. I feel that from the Lancashire game a few weeks ago we’ve played some better four-day cricket.

"We were more competitive and had some tough fought draws. I felt we were building nicely and I was really excited about this week, but the manner of our defeat is gutting.

"It’s left a pretty horrible feeling to be honest, given how far we’d come in the last few months with our red-ball cricket.

“Sometimes it can be difficult to keep things in perspective. Going into the last month of the season our big challenge was to stay up.

"That’s obviously not where we want to be, we don’t want to be at that end of the table but that was our reality and we did that (secured survival) last week, but we’ve gone out with a whimper which is particularly disappointing.

“Obviously we’ve just lost heavily and that’s disappointing but I’ve got belief in the squad and I’m a proud Somerset boy and Somerset is honestly the most incredible club to play for because it means so much to so many people. We talk about it all the time, the support we get is phenomenal.

"We do have some exciting young players and over the next few years it’s going to be exciting to see those guys blossom.”