Jack Leaning completes hundred as Kent draw with Sussex

Leaning, the 27-year-old former Yorkshire batsman, finished unbeaten on 127 when fists were bumped at 4.50pm and he was joined in a 172-run fourth wicket stand by Ollie Robinson

Hove (fourth day of four): Kent 145 & 387-4, Sussex 256 - match drawn

Scorecard

Jack Leaning completed the sixth hundred of his first-class career as Sussex, missing the injured Jofra Archer, could not prevent Kent from securing a comfortable LV= Insurance County Championship draw on a rain-shortened final day at Hove.

Leaning, the 27-year-old former Yorkshire batsman, finished unbeaten on 127 when fists were bumped at 4.50pm and he was joined in a 172-run fourth wicket stand by Ollie Robinson, who scored 85 in Kent’s second innings’ 387 for four declared.

Archer, who controversially did not bowl despite fielding on the third evening, when 24 overs only were possible due to earlier rain, appeared in his whites as the teams warmed up but then did not take the field as Kent resumed their second innings on 220 for three, an overnight lead of 109.

Leaning, who also top-scored with a defiant 63 in Kent’s first innings slide to 145 all out, began the day on 61 while Robinson restarted on 11.

Play began at 1.10pm, following heavy early morning rain and the subsequent mopping up, with Archer replaced in the field by substitute fielder Nick Oxley, a Sussex academy player.

Kent keeper-batsman Robinson looked particularly busy at the crease as he moved steadily to a neatly-played half-century.

^{Tawanda Muyeye made his first-class debut for Kent}

To show his intent, Robinson lofted Jack Carson’s off spin straight for four and then swept the left-arm spin of Delray Rawlins for another boundary.

Sussex took the second new ball as soon as it became available, with Kent on 258 for three, initially with Carson operating with it down the Hove slope and Ollie Robinson returning for a three-over burst from the Sea End.

Leaning and Robinson held firm, however, with the latter completing his fifty from 85 balls and Leaning, though more circumspect, keeping his score ticking over as the stand reached three figures.

In all, Leaning faced 263 balls, hitting eight fours, while Robinson later pulled a short ball from Rawlins for six and also included six fours in his bright 135-ball knock before being adjudged lbw to Tom Clark’s medium pace despite what looked to be an inside edge. It was Clark’s maiden first-class wicket.

There was no play either between 3pm and 4pm due to more rain, but at least a final mini-session allowed Tawanda Muyeye, 20, to spend time at the crease following his first innings score of 1 and reach 12 not out on first-class debut.

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