Only 29 overs were bowled in three sessions on the third day of the Specsavers County Championship match between Durham and Kent at Emirates Riverside.

Durham advanced from 57 for two overnight to 145 for two in their second innings, leading by 156 with Tom Latham on 64 and Graham Clark 49.

Both profited from the absence of wicketkeeper Sam Billings, who was still troubled by a migraine. His original deputy, Daniel Bell-Drummond, missed a difficult chance offered by Latham on 40 then Joe Denly took over and dropped Clark on 25.

Adam Milne and Darren Stevens were the bowlers to suffer, but Kent generally did not apply enough pressure, especially when play began on schedule at 10.30 and they failed to make the batsmen play often enough.

Durham added 17 in 30 minutes before rain arrived, but the batsmen were more fluent when play resumed at 1.25, adding 26 in 25 minutes before bad light intervened, despite the lights being on.

There was more rain before a 4.05 resumption and Latham immediately cut Stevens for an all-run four on his way to 50 off 122 balls.

At 4.55 it was again decided that the light was too poor and play was abandoned 30 minutes later.