May 05, 2007	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 17, 1428

LONDON, May 4: Simon Cook captured six wickets as Kent crushed Sussex by an innings and 106 runs on the second day of the four-day encounter of the Division One County Championship match at Canterbury on Thursday.

Kent made extraordinarily quick work of Sussex to consign the champions to an early season defeat and gain payback for Sussex's victory against them last month.

Kent skittled them for 102 and 160 to win by an innings and 106 runs, with Yasir Arafat dismissing Carl Hopkinson and Murray Goodwin with Sussex on 36 to set the wheels in motion. Arafat ended with 4-36.

Things didn't get much better in Sussex's second innings. Following on, they collapsed at the hands of Simon Cook, who ripped out 6-35 in 13.5 overs. Cook had gone wicketless in the first innings, but more than made up for that.

Sussex had taken the early advantage on the first day, reducing Kent to 66 for 4 to suggest that they would beat them for the second time this season. However, the tide - and the match - swung Kent's way thereafter.

But it wasn’t his precarious knee - he was hit on the hand and taken to hospital for what’s believed to be a precautionary x-ray.

Yorkshire and Hampshire, both of whom are in fine form this season, continued to show that there’s not much to separate them. Yorkshire fell for 299 on the opening day; On Thursday it was the turn of Hampshire to crumble when well set – they made 296.

Scores on Thursday:

County Championship (second day of four): Division One:

At The Rose Bowl: Yorkshire 299 (Younis Khan 106, M Vaughan 72, A Rashid 54; J Bruce 4-56) and 49-2; Hampshire 296 (M Brown 105, N Pothas 70 not out; T Bresnan 4-65).

At Canterbury: Kent 368 (Yasir Arafat 122, M Walker 103; R Martin-Jenkins 5-67); Sussex 102/160 (S Cook 6-35); Kent (21pts) bt Sussex (3pts) by an innings and 106 runs.

At Old Trafford: Surrey 284 (J Batty 70, A Brown 69, S Newman 60; G Keedy 4-57); Lancashire 315 (S Law 120; N Saker 5-76)

At Worcester: Warwickshire 610-6 declared (T Ambrose 251 not out, J Troughton 162, H Streak 66); Worcestershire 116-2.

Division Two:

At Bristol: Gloucestershire 507 (Kadeer Ali 92, M North 86, J Allenby; 5-125); Leicestershire 191-2.

At Northampton: Essex 334 (A Cook 136, M Pettini 67; S Crook 4-56); Northamptonshire 309-8.

At Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 475 (J Gallian 178, S Patel 108, D Hussey 81; A Wharf 4-97); Glamorgan 262.

At Taunton: Derbyshire 801-8 declared (S Katich 221, I Harvey 153, D Pipe 106, A Botha 101); Somerset 107-4. —Agencies