CANTERBURY

(Day three of four: Durham won toss)

Durham 500-8 dec (G. R. Breese 121 not out, M.J. Di Venuto 90, P. Mustard 83, W.R. Smith 81) v Kent 159-5 (C.D. Thorp 5-61) and 225 (R.W.T. Key 58, S.J. Harmison 4-89)

Lunch

Durham extended their overnight lead of 64 over Kent through not losing a wicket in the morning session. Gareth Breese and Phil Mustard took their partnership to 121, reaching 100 together off 30 overs and looking untroubled against medium pace and spin alike.

When their side reached 300, the bonus point accrued put them into second place in the first division table, equal on points with Somerset but ahead of them on account of more victories. At this stage, they were eight points adrift of Nottinghamshire, the leaders.

However transient this was, there was no mistaking that a significant first innings lead was developing. At lunch, this amounted to 176 over Kent on a pitch which was flatter than at any time in the match. Breese’s 93 included 11 fours and a six and Mustard’s 64 nine fours and a six. By Ivo Tennant

Tea

Durham declared their first innings on 500 for eight and before tea, had removed Kent’s three best batsmen for just 17 runs in their quest to become county champions for the first time.

Rob Key was caught at mid off from the first ball he faced, Joe Denly was caught and bowled off a firm drive and Martin van Jaarsveld taken at short cover from a checked drive – all from the bowling of Callum Thorp from the Pavilion End.

Earlier, Gareth Breese had struck 121 from 215 balls with 13 fours and a six when the declaration was made. He and Phil Mustard, who was out for 83, put on 148 in 42 overs, the highest for Durham’s seventh wicket against Kent. On a pitch playing better than at any other time in the match, there seemed scant reason for Kent’s collapse. The prospect of relegation from the first division was looming at tea.

Close

Kent collapsed to 58 for five, losing the wickets of Geraint Jones, leg before playing across a ball that kept low, and Darren Stevens, taken at first slip off the best ball Callum Thorp bowled throughout his 15-over spell which brought him figures of five for 61. However, the two South Africans, Justin Kemp, who finished with an unbeaten 49 off 56 balls with six fours and a six, and Ryan McLaren, an unbeaten 45 with nine fours, enabled Kent to take the match into a final day.

They still need 116 runs to make Durham bat again, the pitch is playing better than at any stage in the match and they have to bat for at least two sessions to stave off not only defeat but relegation. Durham, meanwhile, are scenting their first county championship title.