Sadler admits poor batting show has left Northants 'behind the game' against Kent

Daniel Bell-Drummond hit and unbeaten 271 and Tawanda Muyeye 179 as Kent closed on a mammoth 550 for five at Wantage Road, plundering a total of 440 runs on a day of toil for the Northants attack.

The visitors are in complete control of the match as they lead by 313 at the halfway point, with their brilliant effort with the bat following the County's sub-standard first innings total of 237, which was built around 97 from Rob Keogh.

The next best score was 40 from Sam Whiteman, and Sadler admitted that disappointing first day showing, coming after skipper Luke Procter had won the toss and chosen to bat, is the reason they are 'behind the game'.

"It was a very tough day really," said Sadler.

"Firstly, credit to their guys, I thought they played magnificently. Bell-Drummond he’s a very fine player and he has not even changed gears. He was playing the same tempo at the end as he was at the start of his innings yesterday.

"Both those guys who scored runs played incredibly well.

“So it was a tough day, but make no mistake we are behind the game because of the way we batted first dig.

"We should have got 350 we thought, so we were more than 100 short and it is a different game with scoreboard pressure. You can keep men around the bat a little bit longer."We needed early wickets, we didn’t get them and they ground us down."

For Sadler, the only plus points on another day to forget in what is becoming a long and very difficult season was the fact the team kept their spirit and energy up in the field, and the performance of rookie leg-spinner Alex Russell.

In his second Championship start, the 21-year-old claimed his first senior wicket and in total bowled 29 overs to take two for 137.

His economy rate was close to five runs an over, but Sadler felt he did himself proud in difficult circumstances.

“We spoke about energy levels and passion from all of us today and I thought the lads were great and kept going, but in terms of Alex he was great," said the head coach."He bowled some bad balls but you are going to get that as a young, inexperienced leg-spinner.

"With some of the deliveries he bowled he was unlucky not to get a couple more wickets.

“He’s playing his second game, got his first first-class wickets and he’ll continue to grow and get better and better.

Play on day three is scheduled to start at 11am on Tuesday.