Watch: On his first-class debut for Kent, Matt Parkinson turned a ball by the proverbial mile to clean bowl Matt Renshaw.
Matt Parkinson had played for Kent before, but in limited-overs cricket. In the County Championship, he had represented Lancashire and, in 2023, Durham. He finally made his first-class debut for Kent in 2024, against Somerset at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury.
A wet outfield prevented any cricket on the first day. Somerset captain Lewis Gregory then opted to field, and Kent were bowled out for 284 by stumps on the second day. They were 114-5 at one stage before Harry Finch (54) and Joey Evison (85) added 93. Parkinson played a hand as well, making 25 and helping Evison put on 61 for the ninth wicket. For the tourists, Gregory himself claimed 4-66.
Somerset lost Sean Dickson early in the third morning before Matt Renshaw and Tom Lammonby took the score to 142-1. Then, bowling from over the wicket, Parkinson tossed a ball up outside the left-handed Renshaw’s off stump.
Renshaw (66) drove against the turn. He had accounted for the turn but not the extent of it. The ball pitched on a length, turned, and sped through the gap between the bat and the pad to hit the stumps.
Parkinson also dismissed Lammonby, for 90. At 255-6, Kent might have felt optimistic, but James Rew (57) and Kasey Aldridge (50 not out) added 101 for the seventh wicket.
Somerset will resume the last day on 374-7, with a lead of 90. Parkinson’s figures stand at 2-116.
Watch Matt Parkinson bowl Matt Renshaw on Kent first-class debut:
Matt Parkinson, that is outrageous 🌀#CountyCricket2024 pic.twitter.com/Ua5Hf1kYv8
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) April 7, 2024
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