Defending a massive total of 501, Kent bowlers found it tough to counter Jamie Smith who approached the run chase with Bazball-like approach. They were hit around the park by Smith as he had made up his mind to go after bowlers and unsettle them. On-debut Arshdeep Singh too felt the brunt of it when Smith went berserk but the left-arm pacer had the last laugh as he flattened the off-stump.
Smith smashes Arshdeep for boundaries
Smith came out to bat when Surrey were 91/2 in 38th over after Tom Latham's wicket. Dom Sibley was batting with intent to draw the match but Smith turned the game around. Smith got off the mark with a boundary. He took on Hamidullah Qadri and hit him for three fours in an over. The 22-year-old did not spare Arshdeep either. First, he smashed him for two fours in the 47th over. Then he got to his half-century with a six from 36 deliveries in the 51st over. In the same over, he hit two sixes and two fours.
Following the 20-run over, Arshdeep was taken off the attack by Kent skipper Jack Leaning. The onslaught continued and he reached his century with a boundary off Joe Denly. He needed just 70 deliveries to breach the three figures. The partnership between Sibley and Smith looked like ice and fire.
Arshdeep breaks partnership
Frustrated with Smith's dominance, Arshdeep was brought back into the attack. The left-arm pacer bowled from around the wicket and beat Smith as he stayed in the crease. The stump was uprooted and Smith’s stay at the crease came to an end. But his knock helped Surrey get back in the game. It will take a herculean effort on Day 4 for Kent to win the match.
Arshdeep’s County debut so far
Earlier, in the first innings, Arshdeep made England's discarded wicketkeeper-batter Foakes his County Cricket's debut scalp. The 24-year-old beat Foakes with an in-swinger. He ended up taking two wickets in the innings.
Later in Kent’s second innings, Arshdeep contributed with the bat as well. He hit two fours in his unbeaten 12 off 11 deliveries and shared a 53-run partnership for the 10th wicket with Matthew Quinn who scored 22-ball 37. Interestingly, Arshdeep is yet to be dismissed in two innings he has batted.
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