Cricket: Gough Makes Dramatic Impact As Kent Crumble Under Pressure

Darren Gough has never been someone who has struggled when it comes to making a dramatic impression. His sense of timing did not desert him yesterday. At 3.20 in the afternoon, with Yorkshire well set on an imposing 551, and Tim Bresnan having just eased past his 50, Gough issued a piercing whistle from the pavilion balcony to signal the declaration, and leave Kent a difficult 30 minutes to play before tea.

Unlike his counterpart Rob Key, Gough could at least be certain that the new ball would not be squandered. He took it, along with Jason Gillespie, and, three overs into his spell, produced a double wicket maiden that ruined Kent's ambitions for the rest of the innings. The fact that a group of female fans had just gathered beside the sightscreen to take photos of the one-time reality TV star may or may not have been coincidental.

Joe Denly went lbw, beaten by a delivery that had a touch of cut on it, as he attempted an off drive. Moments later, Martin van Jaarsveld was caught behind off a shorter ball that reared up and moved towards the slips. Kent were 12-2 and at the other end Key was enduring a torrid time against Gillespie.

He survived, though, and batted on through the afternoon while the wickets fell at the other end. Deon Kruis, who replaced Gough after his eight-over opening spell, trapped James Tredwell lbw on the back foot with a faster, flatter ball. When he had Darren Stevens caught behind as well, Kent looked to be in real trouble.

But then the game had been drifting away from them throughout the day. Joe Sayers, 137 not out at the start of the day, went on in similarly staid fashion. He had been in for 379 balls, and made a career-best 187, when he finally popped a leading edge to short mid-wicket off the grossly over-bowled Tredwell. Sayers afterwards confirmed how useful he had found an early-season chat with Geoffrey Boycott, and given his batting, it was not difficult to imagine what they might have discussed.

Adil Rashid scored a rather more dapper 50, and fell, like Gough and Simon Guy, trying to hit Stevens to the boundary. The luxury of such big hitting was not available to Kent, and Key in particular. He took 113 balls over his stoic 50, knowing full well that his team's hopes of saving the follow-on rest largely on him.