Kent’s promotion hopes took a big hit after a tough second day of their County Championship game against Northamptonshire at Beckenham.

Day two belonged to Farnborough-born Ben Duckett as the England-tipped Northants opener amassed a record-breaking 208 to help give the visitors a healthy first innings lead of 154 runs although Kent did well to bowl out the visitors for 384.

Northants began the evening session 307/4 but Kent took the remaining six wickets for thirty-seven runs in a twelve-over spell.

However, Kent then lost four wickets in return for the honour to bat again at the end of the day – all going to Rory Kleinveldt – to leave them in trouble at 15/4, still 139 runs adrift.

Duckett’s score, off 251b including 26×4, became the highest individual run scorer for Northants against Kent overtaking Australian Leonard Livingston’s 200 at Maidstone in 1954 and remarkably overtook Joe Denly’s 206* between the two sides earlier in the 2016 season back in May.

Kent would have been keen to get quick wickets on day two having been second-best to Northants on day one but their wishes failed to materialise as Kent-born Northants opener Ben Duckett led the visitors’ charge.

Kent did get a breakthrough in the morning session as Callum Jackson caught Rob Newton’s (14) edged shot from a splendid delivery by Mitch Claydon (57/1) but that provided scant consolation for the hosts as perhaps their promotion aspirations were now beginning to fade.

Ably supporting Duckett, Alex Wakely (27) had luck on his side dropped by Darren Stevens at mid-wicket off Gidman (125/1) and as lunch approached the Northants captain flashed at a Hardus Viljoen delivery outside the off-stump edging it over the slips for four to move closer to a half-century (38*).

At lunch Northants had moved onto 150/1 (Duckett 75*, Wakely 42*).

Despite the interval the visitors continued to put Kent to the sword. Wakely reached a half century of his own (90b, 10×4) whilst his compatriot Duckett at the other end went one better to secure his century.

Scoring more freely and with the visitors on the verge of overtaking Kent’s first innings total Wakely (73) skied a Matt Coles delivery with Will Gidman on hand to take the catch at fine leg; 228/2 (Duckett 125*) and soon after the new man at the crease Rob Keogh cut for four and Northants had a first innings lead.

Keen to add to the wickets Northants were subject to a moment of panic as James Tredwell confidently claimed an unsuccessful leg-before appeal to Duckett and in the ensuing action Keogh was almost run out.

Prior to tea Kent saw a change in fortune as the double-act of Claydon and Tredwell combined in consecutive overs – Keogh (18) edging to the Kent spinner at second slip followed by Richard Levi (6) – Northants from 261/2 found themselves 267/4, (Duckett 140*).

But the hosts were unable to displace opener Duckett who registered his one-fifty before the break in play – Northants 307/4 (Duckett 172*, Murphy 8*) at tea.

Once more the interval didn’t hinder Duckett as a four over the top of the infield brought up his own two-hundred and a new highest individual score against Kent for a Northants player.

However the highest individual score in games between the sides wasn’t to be beaten as Duckett (208) finally succumbing to Matt Coles with Tredwell taking the catch and Frank Woolley’s record 217 dating back to 1926 still tops the charts between the sides.

The wicket of Duckett was the catalyst for an unlikely collapse by the visitors but one all Kent fans, and not Essex fans, would have wanted.

South African paceman Hardus Viljoen obliged with three wickets in the final session whilst Darren Stevens took two.

The first man to go was Steven Crook (7) brilliantly and athletically caught behind by Callum Jackson (362/6), followed by Rory Kleinveldt (5) with Darren Stevens bagging the catch (364/7) and David Murphy (16) who had bedded down and dug in was caught by Joe Denly (371/8).

Viljoen’s fruitful evening session earned him 3/28 off nine overs and whilst he set the tone Stevens supported the effort to finish off the visitors with the wickets of Azharullah (0) caught by Jackson (378/9) and White (12), again caught by Jackson (384ao).

Despite the session beginning well for Kent with the ball the hosts had contrasting fortunes with the bat as, trailing by 154 runs, lost four wickets in the chase to overturn the deficit.

Either side of a Daniel Bell-Drummond and Joe Denly first-ball duck, Sean Dickson (3) was out leg-before and in the final over of the day James Tredwell (1) lost his wicket which drew an end to the second days’ play – Rory Kleinveldt with an evening session to remember taking 4/8.

Northamptonshire’s double centurion Ben Duckett said his innings was right up there with his best ever. “I was 178 at tea and told myself to graft for those other 20-odd runs and I think you could see how happy I was to get there

“I just wanted to out us in a winning position. I think we could have possibly got 200 ahead there, but i’d have taken a lead of 150-odd all day. You can never tell if it’s your day in the red-ball stuff but the main thing I’ve tried to do this year is that when i do get in I try to go big.

“I was always going to play with a bit of freedom on this pitch which I think was the right thing because it did do a bit. I just wanted to get through the new ball and then, when they went to spin, to not let James Tredwell settle. That was why I tried to get the fielders out and score as many boundaries off him as I could.”

He added: “Getting three of their top batters pout tonight was unbelievable With one tail-endre out there if we go; bang, bang, and get two more in the morning we’re in a great position to possibly win by an innings”

Kent will go into day three 139 runs adrift although with the remarkable loss of wickets it appears Northants are once again in the ascendency with the pendulum swinging to and then against the hosts.

Kent: 230 (Dickson 63, Coles 52, Gidman 51; Kleinveldt 3/70, Crook 2/7, Azarullah 2/46)

Northants: 384 (Duckett 208, Wakely 73; Claydon 3/73, Viljoen 3/91)

Match Summary: Kent, with six wickets remaining, trail Northants 139 by runs