Dexter targets century

Neil Dexter

A debut half-century from Neil Dexter proved a significant stumbling block in Notts’ pursuit of their first Frizzell County Championship title since 1987.

Kent’s 21-year-old middle-order batsman came in with his team in danger of falling to a big defeat against their fellow title contenders on day three of a rain-affected match at Canterbury.

But the Johannesburg-born youngster hit seven fours off 97 balls on the way to his 50 in an unbroken stand of 129 with Niall O’Brien as Kent improved to 237 for five in reply to visitors’ 486 for eight declared.

If Kent can negotiate the second new ball and add another 100 runs to save the follow-on, Notts are likely to have to wait another week and perform well in their final fixture of the summer at Hampshire in order to add the county title to last year’s Division Two success.

Dexter (79no) has a hundred firmly in his sights but already has plenty of reasons to be satisfied.

“I really enjoyed it out there. When we started we just said ‘let’s try to bat as long as we can and keep the runs ticking over’,” he said, having walked out to bat on a hat-trick ball for Notts off-spinner Graeme Swann.

Looking forward to Saturday morning’s resumption of the challenge against the likes of Swann, Kent old boy Mark Ealham and Andrew Harris, Dexter is planning more of the same.

The classy right-hander, who timed the ball impressively to most parts of the St Lawrence Ground and was especially adept off either foot on the off side, said: “I’ll just try to stay positive, go out and not think about it too much.

“I just hope I can keep going the same way.”