McSweeney happy to see high-scoring Northants throw ‘first punch’ against Kent

Nathan McSweeney was gushing in his praise for skipper Luke Procter and his team-mates as Northants enjoyed another record-breaking day against Kent at Canterbury in the Rothesay County Championship Division Two.

The County built on their commanding performance on day one, when they posted a huge 409 for one, by going on to post a mammoth first innings total of 684 for two declared.

For the first time in the club's long history, the top four batters all made centuries, with Australian import McSweeney stroking an unbeaten 101 from just 85 balls, hitting 10 fours and three sixes.

At the other end, Procter ended on an epic career-best 261 not out from 357 balls, while there was also a personal best for Calvin Harrison (153) to added to the day one century from opener Ricardo Vasconcelos (127).

It was clearly a batter friendly wicket - but Kent didn't see it that way as they were then reduced to 119 for six at close, a deficit of 565 runs!

Harry Conway snared two for 27 and Ben Sanderson two for 28, while there was also a wicket for James Sales and a run out.

It all means that, with two full days to play, Northants are in a great position, but McSweeney took time out to look back on his and is new team's efforts in the first half of the game.

“It's not every day that you break records," said the 27-year-old.

"I think you obviously get wickets that are probably bowler-friendly, so it's important that we can get some confidence.

"The wicket was in our favour, but you’ve still got to go out there and make the runs.”

The County's batting effort was a far cry from what they produced in their opening match against Lancashire when they were reduced to 41 for five in the first innings and then 50 for six in the second, and McSweeney admitted the top order were determined to set that record straight.

“I think after reviewing the first game against Lancashire, we wanted to make sure that we threw the first punch this game," he said.

"We obviously fought really well last week, but we were behind the eight ball and fighting to save the game for most of that first fixture.

“So for us to come out here, start really well, with all the top four spending a lot of time out there and the skipper leading from the front with 250, and then on Saturday, to finish like that and have them six foot on a pretty good batting surface, the bowlers bowled fantastic.

"They hardly missed their areas and created chances.

“The captain had a good day, he just didn't take a wicket, which he looked likely as well.

"That comes when the guys down the other end. It's not always the guy that builds the pressure takes the wickets.

"For us as a group, if we can keep building pressure from both ends, that'll happen more and more."

Day three at Canterbury is due to start at 11am on Sunday.