Cricket: Brothers Newell hasten Kent's slide

Kent 245 & 154-4 Sussex 264

A heartening display for Sussex's new vice-chairman, Don Trangmar, but there is every likelihood that Kent's batsmen will not want to visit Horsham for another 70 years after yet another disappointing display.

Having conceded a first- innings lead as the Sussex tail-enders made batting look relatively easy, Kent's top order then encountered yet more problems when it came to their turn at the crease.

The Sussex attack once more worked wonders, helped by a wicket that was clearly offering them something by mid- afternoon. However, Kent supporters will be unhappy at the continuing failure of Matthew Walker and Nigel Llong to build an innings, while the former Sussex captain, Alan Wells, has had an unhappy return to his old stamping ground. He followed his first-innings 20 with a miserable three.

Thankfully, the reliable Trevor Ward did a marvellous job of shoring up the innings. Although even he was almost run-out on the second ball of his innings, when he slipped trying to get back into his ground. Paul Jarvis's throw just missed the stumps. His second fifty of the match, and third in successive innings, certainly pulled Kent out of a quicksand, but they are still capable of sinking slowly out of this match.

If they do, much of the blame can be pinned on the family Newell. After Keith's career-best bowling in Kent's first innings, younger brother Mark scored his maiden first-class fifty in only his third outing.

It was a responsible knock, sprinkled with enough shots to suggest greater things to come, and there was a degree of nobility to his fall, since he provided Kent's young, fast medium paceman, Ben Phillips, with a career- best 5 for 47. Newell and Jarvis, who went on to make 55 after being dropped by Llong on one, put on 92 for the ninth wicket, which went most of the way to easing Sussex into a 19-run lead, which only Ward - 79 not out at the close - and his partner Graham Cowdrey looked capable of overcoming.