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New Zealand looking at Kent defeat
New Zealand were left contemplating defeat in their final warm-up match before the first Test after Kent moved into a dominant position.
New Zealand were left contemplating defeat in their final warm-up match before next week's first Test against England after Kent moved into a dominant position at the St Lawrence Ground on Saturday.
At stumps on the third day of four, Kent were 24 without loss needing just a further 165 runs to win on Sunday.
Kent captain David Fulton was 14 not out and England batsman Robert Key, a first innings centurion, unbeaten on 10.
Earlier Saturday Kent's England wicket-keeper Geraint Jones posted his first hundred of the season before Danish medium-pacer Amjed Khan took four for 50 as New Zealand were bowled out for 211 in their second innings.
Jones's innings came a day before England's selectors were due to name their squad for the first Test of a three-match series which is scheduled to start at Lord's on Thursday.
Resuming on his overnight 43 not out Jones finished on 101 off just 107 balls including five sixes and 11 fours before he was last man out caught by New Zealand paceman Shane Bond at mid-on off seamer Chris Martin.
All-rounder Chris Cairns, ahead of what he has said will be his last Test campaign, them rescued the tourists from the depths of 81 for six with a hard-hitting 73.
Before that Bond, who has been sidelined for a year with a stress fracture of the back, finished with one for 77 from 16 overs.
He bowled a dozen of those overs without reward on Friday but struck Saturday to dismiss Kent middle-order batsman Rob Ferley lbw for one.
Prior to the third day's play, New Zealand coach John Bracewell was guarded about Bond's Lord's chances.
"There were some times at Worcester last week when he (Bond) bowled with real heat," said the former New Zealand off-spinner.
Bracewell added: "He didn't quite have that snap yesterday (Friday) but we are combining a training programme as well as a bowling programme in terms of his long-term strengthening.
"He had a heavy weights session and a fairly heavy fielding session in the build-up; he lacked a bit of cricket fitness and that is why he lacked that snap."
"It is good to have preparation on flat tracks because it makes the bowlers more honest and our decision on whether he plays at Lord's is not just on his outcome statistically here," added Bracewell, who until last season was coach at English county Gloucestershire.
"He has only really bowled 15 overs in a day and we need to build that up, he needs a 20-over day and see how his body shapes up next day.
"But we want to leave the option of including him until the last minute."
