Stewart and Evison help Kent frustrate Lancashire skipper Anderson in draw

GRANT Stewart's glorious 130 helped to secure a nerve-shredding draw for Kent and frustrate James Anderson on a dramatic last day of the Rothesay County Championship match against Lancashire at Blackpool.

- 

Such an outcome had seemed unlikely in the extreme in mid-afternoon, when the visitors had slumped to 116 for seven in the second innings, still 149 in arrears.

At that point it looked as though Anderson was on course for an innings victory in his first game as Red Rose skipper.

But Stewart and Joey Evison put on 182 for the eighth wicket in thrilling fashion to take Kent into the black, and even though Anderson had Stewart caught at cover for 130, Kent survived to finish on 328 for eight, with Evison unbeaten on a brilliantly gutsy 77 when the players shook hands.

Australian off-spinner Chris Green took four for 104 and Tom Bailey three for 61 for Lancashire, who are still waiting for their first Championship victory of the season. By contrast, the draw ends a dismal run of four defeats for Daniel Bell-Drummond's side.

Needing to bat almost all day to avoid defeat, Kent chose to open the batting with specialist leg-spinner, Matt Parkinson, who was doing the job for the first time in his county career.