Canterbury (Day three of four, Kent won toss)

Kent 283 and 317 for 4 dec; Lancashire 125 and 161 for 4

Lunch

Joe Denly completed his second Championship hundred of the season as Kent increased their lead over Lancashire to 413 runs by lunch on the third day at Canterbury. Denly lost his overnight partner, Neil Dexter, in the 10th over of the morning but was then joined by Martin van Jaarsveld in another substantial stand that left Lancashire looking for salvation from the weather.

Dexter, who began the day on 69, added just six more runs before he edged an attempted cut at Gary Keedy and was caught by Dominic Cork at slip. He had, however, helped to add 152 for the second wicket with Denly and to put the game beyond Lancashire.

Van Jaarsveld was soon looking secure and, with Sajid Mahmood nursing niggles, he and Denly batted on serenely against a toothless Lancashire attack. Denly’s hundred arrived with a hooked single off Steven Croft, and it had taken him 225 minutes and 192 balls, with 10 fours. At lunch he and van Jaarsveld, who was on 45 not out, had added an unbroken 97 for the third wicket. Denly was unbeaten on 118, from 215 balls.

Tea

Kent batted on for 14 overs after lunch, adding a further 62 runs for the loss of both Denly and van Jaarsveld before declaring at 317 for four and setting Lancashire a target of 476. Denly had not added to his lunchtime score of 118 when he was caught off Croft, who then had van Jaarsveld lbw for 50. Darren Stevens and Geraint Jones added a further 49 before the declaration came.

There was then an explosive start to the Lancashire second innings as Robbie Joseph followed up his first innings 5 for 34 with three wickets in four balls in his third over with the new ball. First he had Paul Horton smartly caught by van Jaarsveld at second slip and then, next ball, Mal Loye was beaten off the pitch and taken at the wicket by Jones.

With Stuart Law still feeling the effects of his back complaint, Francois du Plessis was sent in at number four – and he lasted just two balls. Pushing forward, but clearly beaten for pace, du Plessis was lbw to leave Lancashire 17 for three.

Joseph’s spell ended with him boasting figures of 3 for 28 from seven overs but, up until tea, Kent could not break Lancashire’s fourth wicket partnership between Martin Chilton and Croft, who made a spritely 37 not out from 43 balls before the interval.

Close

Chilton and Croft took their determined fourth-wicket stand to 125 in 32 overs, holding up Kent’s victory drive but also saving much face for Lancashire, who had been in grave danger of folding to defeat inside three days.

Croft reached his fifty from 66 balls after a 50-minute stoppage for rain but, on 68, he pushed forward to Ryan McLaren and edged a catch that Geraint Jones, the wicketkeeper, took one-handed as he stooped to his right and ran across in front of first slip. He had faced 91 balls, hitting nine fours and an on-driven six off James Tredwell.

Kent pushed hard for a fifth wicket in the last half-hour, bringing back Joseph for a quick burst in place of Tredwell at the Nackington Road end, but Chilton and Luke Sutton held firm. Chilton’s 69 not out had occupied 151 balls, with 11 fours, and Lancashire had at least given themselves some hope of survival tomorrow on 161 for 4.