
Keogh gives Northants supporters a rare moment to celebrate
Rob Keogh gave Northamptonshire supporters a rare moment to celebrate with a stunning century against Essex at Wantage Road, scoring 154 off just 147 balls. With the county already relegated and playing for pride after a nightmare season, Keogh put on a show with boundaries all around the ground as Northamptonshire claimed their first batting bonus point at home this summer and closed on 279 for 6 on day one of this LV= Insurance County Championship match.
Keogh batted with a sense of freedom, taking the positive, attacking route, but timing the ball to perfection and not offering any chances. Strong on the drive and cutting and punching firmly off the back foot, when Essex resorted to bowling short, he dismissively hooked and pulled the ball away to the ropes, hitting 23 fours and four sixes.
He ticked off milestones along the way too, passing 6,000 career first-class runs and becoming Northamptonshire's highest run scorer in the Championship this season. The innings neatly bookends his season following 116 in the Steelbacks' opening fixture against Kent in April.
Keogh came to the wicket after Jamie Porter (2 for 82) had struck twice, finding plenty of movement outside off-stump and immediately took the positive route against the Essex seamer, sharing a stand of 107 with Saif Zaib (28) in exactly 25 overs.