Kent and Somerset look to be heading for a draw in the Vitality County Championship at Canterbury, after the visitors reached 374 for seven at stumps on day three.

Tom Lammonby hit 90 and Matt Renshaw 66 as the visitors survived an early evening wobble to overhaul Kent’s first innings score of 284.

Kent debutants Matt Parkinson and George Garrett took three for 31 and two for 61 respectively, but a stand of 101 between Kasey Aldridge and James Rew gave Somerset a potentially useful lead of 90.

Aldridge was unbeaten on 50 while Rew made 57 before he was out in surreal circumstances following a delay caused by a rogue mobilty-scooter.

The draw always looked the most likely outcome after 119 overs were lost to the elements on days one and two, but if Kent were going to force the issue they needed to exploit the new ball.

They couldn’t. Sean Dickson was on four when he edged Wes Agar between second and third slips, but both Daniel Bell-Drummond and Jack Leaning went for the catch and neither managed to hang on.

Dickson failed to cash in, edging Garrett to Leaning for 17, but that was the only bright moment for the hosts during an otherwise joyless morning session that ended with Somerset on 108 for one.

Lammonby played with restrained elegance, although he reached his fifty with a streakily edged four off Garrett.

Renshaw was then dropped on 58 off Parkinson when Joe Denly couldn’t hang on to a diving chance at mid on. Parkinson, however, broke through in his next over, conjuring a ball that pitched outside off and spun viscously back into Renshaw’s middle stump.

If that was the only wicket of the afternoon session, Parkinson’s unbroken 25-over spell at least offered home fans hope that this season might offer something more than the toil of the previous campaign.

He lobbed in the occasional bad ball but always looked like making something happen and in the second over after tea he duped Lammonby into a swipe that was grabbed by Ben Compton at square leg.

A mini-collapse ensued as Tom Banton smacked Garrett for six but was caught behind off the next ball for 28 and Lewis Goldsworthy fell to the new ball, driving Nathan Gilchrist to Joey Evison at extra cover for 35.

Lewis Gregory made just one when he cut Wes Agar to Daniel Bell-Drummond and at that point Somerset were on 255 for six, but Aldridge and Rew exploited some average fielding to push Somerset into the lead and give them their first score of over 300 in the first innings of a summer since 2014.

The torpor of the late evening was summed up when a man on a mobility scooter dawdled in front of the sight screens and Rew fell to the very next ball, skying Leaning almost vertically before he was caught by Harry Finch.

Aldridge then brought up his half-century when he took a single off the final ball of the day from Leaning.

Somerset’s Tom Lammonby said: “It was a good day for Somerset and on a personal note I thought I played really nicely. It’s sort of been leading up to that all through pre-season so it was nice to score some runs in the first county championship game of the year.

“It felt great from the start and it’s not always going to happen like that. I’m very fortunate that I got my first boundary and off the mark quite quickly. I timed the ball quite nicely and got to the pace of the wicket quite quickly. I capitalised on a couple of loose balls which got the ball rolling and allowed me to relax.

“I don’t mind (batting at three). We’ve got Sean and Renners up top, it’s quite a strong batting line-up even with players missing and we’ve got strength in numbers. Being able to bat anywhere is a nice asset to have and it’s nice for the team to have.

“I’ve not been doing anything specific, it’s more mental than anything and just being able to let that last ball go and really focus on my inner game, stay as relaxed at the crease as possible and keeping the basic as strong as I can.

“I take every runs as it comes and today it felt very good, so I’m very pleased with that.”

Kent’s George Garrett said: “It was a cool feeling today getting that first wicket. A lot of hard work’s gone into that. After the uncertainty of being released by Warwickshire, I came to Kent and they gave me a chance, so to get that first wicket under my belt is awesome.

(On his second wicket) “Banton hit me for six the ball before and I thought ‘oh jeez I’m on it here,’ but I just rolled my fingers down it and managed to nick one. It’s one of those wickets where it’s hard work for a bowler, especially with the Kookaburra ball, you’ve got to really stick in for long periods of time, so credit to Somerset because they bounced back.

“Division One cricket is hard and I’m remembering what it’s like. There are a lot of good sides out there and you’ve got to play until 6.30. Tomorrow we’ve got to come back and knock them over. I think they’re going to come hard at us first thing to get their bonus points and I think we can get a couple too, so it’s a cliché in cricket but I think that first hour is massive.

“The guy were surprised when I said it was only my fifth first-class game. Warwickshire didn’t hand me that much of an opportunity and some of that through no fault of my own I fell, so it’s good to be here and apart of a squad where I know I’m going to be valued and I’m going to play.

“There’s always nerves but I’m 24 now, I’ve got a bit of experience and speaking to Deebs (Daniel Bell-Drummond) at mid-off, he’s a very calming influence. When you’re under the pump you’ve got to stick to what you’re good at so when that ball went to Jack it was a nice relief.”