Kent look as if they will need a return to Sunday school after losing their way with the bat and their grip on a

Kent look as if they will need a return to Sunday school after losing their way with the bat and their grip on a game they could and should have won with the ball. They failed to maintain the pressure at the end despite picking up wickets at regular intervals and leaving the Somerset batsmen seemingly with too much to do; 32 runs were needed from the last three overs and despite the loss of Robbie Turner, Lee turned victory into a formality with a ball to spare.Opener Mark Lathwell, despite losing two partners in rapid succession, had combined soundly with Richard Harden in a third-wicket partnership of 74 which laid the foundations for the Somerset triumph. Sadly, the partnership ended when one-time England batsman Lathwell hoisted the wily Carl Hooper to the lurking figure of Graham Cowdrey at deep mid-wicket and departed five runs short of a deserved 50.It was the first of two important catches by Cowdrey, whose apparent inherited wealth of flesh belies a high degree of athleticsm. His dismissal of the troublesome Harden - centurion in the Championship match - called on a great deal of skill and no little balance.That was one of a number of brilliant moments by the Kent fielders but there was also a fair sprinkling of errors. It had been a similar tale when Kent were at the crease.It seemed to consist of an assortment of peeks and troughs. Once the batsmen had had a peek they then rushed to the trough to gorge themselves on runs, however the Somerset attack was not that keen to hand out tit- bits.Hooper having pinched a single, and the strike, in reaching fifty, then hammered the next ball he faced straight down long-off's throat. That was England Andy Caddick who came through with no apparent problems after a back strain had forced him out of the Championship match.Acting captain Ward had Kent innings rattling along at more than five an over when, bristling with over-confidence, he attempted a reverse sweep and was comfortably taken at backward point.

Opener Matthew Fleming made the only other significant contribution, before holing out in the deep to give Marcus Trescothick the second Sunday League wicket of his career -his first came last week against Essex.. Amid the hype of Super League, ground announcers have earned a reputation for opening their mouths and putting their feet in. Rarely has this operation been performed with such rapidity as at The Valley on Saturday, where the man with the mike admonished Wigan supporters, cheering the introduction of 54th minute substitute Shaun Edwards, by telling them: "He hasn't done anything yet." The emphasis should have been on the word "yet", but within 90 seconds Edwards had done something that tilted the game irreversibly Wigan's way. It was not, in truth, the most staggering piece of play of his long career.It was merely a typical example of his stock in trade; spotting that a team-mate is going to make a break before that team-mate knows himself and getting into the position to support and capitalise.Until Edwards performed that simple manoeuvre, it was not inconceivable that the race for the Stones Super League title was going to end this weekend.London were leading and looking confident. "I know he's recently been saying he can't wait to get shot of it all. But I'd personally find it disappointing if Illy left the game on a sour note. It would be a shame because he's contributed a lot to English cricket over a lengthy period of time."Before Illy came along we went through a period of being easy meat.

We may still be searching for the world-class all-rounder he craves, but under him we've become a tougher team that has learnt to draw matches and live to fight another day. I, for one, would like to see an appreciation of that and for him to go out on a more positive note." Illingworth has one more home Test to go as chairman which, if England win, will protect an unbeaten home record stretching back three summers. Pakistan, however, are one of the best sides in the world and will not easily relinquish their one Test advantage."They are a good side who talk a positive game but who set defensive fields. They don't over-attack with the new ball but sit in the game and wait for the ball to get older, when reverse-swing comes into play.