County Championship: Kent and Lancashire set for exciting final day

An exciting finish could be in prospect on the final day of the County Championship match between Kent and Lancashire at Canterbury, after the hosts reached 206-5 at stumps, a lead of 215.

Although rain wiped out much of day three, with only 38.3 overs bowled, Jaydn Denly reached 74 as Kent built their lead, before Mitch Stanley helped rein them in with 2-55.

With Ben Compton not expected to bat, Kent are effectively six wickets down, and the game looks fascinatingly poised going into day four.

Kent resumed with a lead of 105, on 96-0, with Jaydn Denly on 55 and Ben Dawkins on 35.

Dawkins had added just a single when he edged Will Williams to Keaton Jennings at first slip, but the players went off for rain at 10:56 BST and six overs were lost.

When play resumed Tom Bailey sent Jaydn Denly’s off stump flying, but a further downpour resulted in an early lunch, with the score 131-2.

After a two-and-a-half-hour delay, play resumed, and George Balderson – switching to the Pavilion End – had Joey Evison caught behind for 26.

Joe Denly, in as a concussion sub for Tawanda Muyeye, cracked Stanley for six over mid-wicket to take Kent to 170-3 at tea. However, he rarely looked comfortable and was caught behind for 19 after flashing at the same bowler.

Stanley then had Harry Finch lbw for four before the rain returned at 17:12. With no prospect of a resumption, play was abandoned for the day, with Ekansh Singh unbeaten on 30 and Mo Rizvi, who is on a pair, on nought not out.