Kent’s chances of salvaging a draw with Essex remain in the balance after a rain-hit day three of their Championship match at Canterbury.

With less than 35 overs possible on the day, and nearly 65 lost to the weather, Kent moved from their overnight position of 8-0 to 113-4, largely thanks to Sam Northeast’s unbeaten 70 – his third half century of the Championship season. Monty Panesar was the pick of the visitors’ bowlers, as he took 3-24.

On a grey day at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, a combination of overnight rain followed by persistent drizzle throughout the morning saw 16 overs lost, before an early lunch was taken and play began at 12.40pm. The inclement weather would certainly have been to the home side’s advantage, however, following on having made just 107 yesterday in reply to Essex’s 276.

Resuming on 8-0 having been asked to follow on by Essex skipper James Foster, Sam Northeast and Rob Key looked relatively assured and saw out the first half hour or so of the day’s play. Key, however, was the first Kent wicket to fall on day three, when on 17 he played onto his own stumps for the second time in the match, as Reece Topley made the visitors’ breakthrough.

Joined at the crease by Daniel Bell-Drummond, Northeast brought up his fifty from 91 balls. His knock included three boundaries, two of which came in consecutive balls as he drove back past the bowler Topley for four.

Monty Panesar then picked up his first two wickets of the match in consecutive balls, first removing Bell-Drummond for 9, caught by Gautham Gambhir, before Brendan Nash turned his first ball straight to Greg Smith at leg slip. Ben Harmison just about survived the hat-trick ball with a midwicket flick that narrowly missed the fielder, but at the end of Panesar’s over, Kent found themselves right up against it at 85-3, still trailing the promotion chasers by 84 runs.

Harmison, who made an unbeaten 30 in the first innings yesterday, only made 8 second time around, as Panesar picked up his third wicket, trapping the former Durham man lbw, leaving Kent 94-4 and still 75 behind

Darren Stevens joined Northeast at the crease, and the pair saw Kent through until just before 3pm, when tea was taken with the light dim and rain in the air.

As the rain continued throughout the afternoon, no further play was possible, with the day called off at 4.45pm, Kent still 56 runs behind Essex with one day left to play.

With changeable weather forecast for the final day, Kent will not be too worried at all if rain washes out the final day. However, should the sun shine, the remaining batsmen will have a tough job to do to rescue a draw for the home side.

Kent: Northeast, Key, Bell-Drummond, Nash, Harmison, Stevens, Jones, Haggett, Davies, Riley, Shreck.

Essex: Mickleburgh, Gambhir, Smith, Shah, ten Doeschate, Foakes, Foster, Napier, Masters, Panesar, Topley.

Stumps, day three, Kent vs. Essex, LV= County Championship Division Two, Canterbury, 11-14 September 2013:

Kent 107 all out (Harmison 30 not out, Masters 6-41) and 113-4 (f/o) (Northeast 70 not out, Panesar 3-24) are 56 runs behind Essex 276 all out (Shah 84, Davies 4-67).

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