Gloucestershire hit by Cook haul

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, Beckenham:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY TWO: Kent 231 Gloucestershire 69-2 (Glos 3pts, Kent 1pt)
30 June-3 July 2009 (Play begins at 1100 BST)

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Cook picked up his best first-class figures of the season

Simon Cook picked up five wickets and Martin van Jaarsveld struck 62 as Kent took the upper hand on day two against Gloucestershire at Beckenham.

The visitors collapsed from 92-2, to lose their last eight wickets for 97 as Cook picked up 5-22.

Only Craig Spearman (47) provided any resistance as Gloucestershire were dismissed for 166, to trail by 65.

Van Jaarsveld helped take Kent to 149-6 at the close, a lead of 204, with Steve Kirby picking up 4-25.

In the morning session, off-spinner James Tredwell ended a third-wicket stand of 44 between Alex Gidman and Kadeer Ali when he had Gidman caught by Darren Stevens for 28.

Then, Kadeer was caught by Van Jaarsveld off Tredwell to spark the beginning of Cook's destruction.

James Franklin, Steve Snell, Gemal Hussain and Jon Lewis all fell for single-figure scores off the bowling Middlesex man before Azhar Mahmood wrapped up the innings by having Vikram Banerjee caught by Van Jaarsveld.

Kirby then removed the Kent top three of Rob Key, Sam Northeast (30) and Geraint Jones, and when Banerjee had Darren Stevens caught behind, the hosts were struggling at 82-4.

Van Jaarsveld and Justin Kemp (25 not out) led the recovery with a fifth-wicket stand of 55, but the South African became Kirby's fourth victim and Azhar Mahmood was caught by Gidman off Banerjee before the close.