NORTHAMPTON, England, CMC – West Indies pacer Miguel Cummins struck late to break a threatening opening stand after earlier flourishing with the bat, to give Kent a strong finish to day two of their Group 3 County Championship contest against Northamptonshire here Friday.
The 30-year-old Barbadian, who signed an eight-game deal with Kent last month, bowled left-hander Ben Curran off the under-edge for 24 in his second over – the third over before the close at Wantage Road – as the hosts finished on 91 for one in reply to Kent’s massive 455.
Ricardo Vasconcelos was unbeaten on 54, having put on 77 for the first wicket with Curran on a rain-hit day in the East Midlands.
Cummins had earlier struck a valuable 24 in a 63-run last wicket stand which helped veteran Darren Stevens to an unbeaten 116 – his 35th first class hundred.
Stevens, who turns 45 later this month, faced 134 balls in 3-¾ hours and counted 15 fours and two sixes.
Resuming the day on 34 with Kent on 309 for seven thanks to Jack Leaning’s 79 and Jordan Cox’s 62 on the opening day, Stevens put on 64 for the ninth wicket with number 10 Harry Podmore (28) before finding an ally in Cummins to complete triple figures.
The left-handed Cummins defied the Northants bowlers for nearly an hour and struck four fours before losing his middle stump to new ball seamer Tom Taylor.
Afterwards, Stevens praised Cummins for the partnership which saw him to his hundred.
“I’m really appreciative of the tail helping me out,” said Stevens.
“I was an angry man when Podmore got out because I thought we were going really nicely and I’d not batted with Miguel before.
“So I said to him ‘do you want to face spin or seam?’ and he said ‘I’m good, man’.”
Cummins, who has played 14 Tests and 11 One-Day Internationals for West Indies, saw a three-year deal at Middlesex upended by the COVID-19 pandemic but was able to secure a contract with Kent for the new season.
And Stevens said he believed the right-armer would be asset for Kent in the ongoing affair against Northants.
“We bowled pretty poorly but Miguel looks like he’s a bit of a handful and I think he’ll be key for us.”