Somerset 363 for 7 v Kent
Scorecard
Centuries from James Hildreth and Arul Suppiah ensured championship-chasing Somerset dominated the Canterbury cricket week fixture against Kent.
The hosts, buoyed by taking three wickets before lunch including the prized scalp of Marcus Trescothick for only 5, then endured some serious punishment for 60 overs as the fourth-wicket pair added a record 253 in 60 overs. It was Somerset's best partnership of the season and eclipsed their fourth-wicket record against Kent of 210, set at the St Lawrence Ground by Steve Waugh and Ricky Bartlett in 1988.
The wristy Malaysian-born Suppiah, who received notice 24 hours earlier from the Home Office he was to be granted permanent leave to stay in the country, celebrated with a 184-ball century. As Kent laboured for another breakthrough in a wicket-less mid-session, Hildreth joined him in three figures from 129 balls and with 15 fours.
The pair came together after Kent had bossed proceedings in the first session by taking three wickets after Somerset won the toss and elected to bat. Trescothick edged a good ball from Azhar Mahmood that held its line despite the slope to have the left-hander caught at third slip and make it six for one only 13 deliveries into the game.
An airy drive accounted for Zander de Bruyn when he edged the first ball of the day from Simon Cook to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones then Jos Butler played late on an Amjad Khan yorker that crunched into the base of off stump.
Hildreth enjoyed a life with nine against his name when a thick edge against Khan flew to fourth slip only to be downed by Mahmood for a costly drop worth 243 runs as Hildreth and Suppiah counter-attacked until their partnership finally ended 50 minutes after tea.
Aiming to slop sweep off-spinner James Tredwell Suppiah (125) was easily caught by Stevens at deep mid-wicket then, two overs later, Hildreth (151) top-edged an attempted paddle against Tredwell to balloon a catch to Rob Key at short fine leg.
Former Kent all-rounder Peter Trego was left high and dry when Craig Kieswetter set off for a tight third to long-on from where substitute fielder Matt Coles launched the throw to effect the run out despite Trego's last gasp dive.
Two overs from the close another former Kent favourite, Ben Phillips became the second victim of the day for Mahmood who ran one away from a back-foot defensive push to feather the edge and have him caught at slip.