Kent are staring a second straight defeat in the face after a tough day against Hampshire at Canterbury on Saturday.

The visitors piled on the runs, reaching 652-6 at tea for a lead of 347 before taking three Kent wickets in the final session on day three of their LV= Insurance County Championship clash.

Kent closed the day on 78-3, still needing another 269 runs to make Hampshire bat again.

Hampshire's Liam Dawson hit his highest first class score of 171, from 268 balls with three sixes and 20 fours, while Ben Brown hit 157 from 198 balls with 15 fours. The duo put on a Hampshire record partnership of 273 for the fifth wicket.

The visitors started the day on 337-4 and although Kent were able to take the new ball they were unable to make early inroads.

Brown carved Matt Milnes for four to reach 50 and Dawson straight drove the same bowler to reach three figures before the first hour was up. When Ollie Robinson dropped Dawson off Hamidullah Qadri in the first over after lunch, it set the tone for the rest of the afternoon session.

Dawson cracked Qadri for six in his next over and landmarks and records were duly ticked off with an almost casual ease. Brown reached his century with a glanced three off Qadri. Dawson brought up his 150 cutting the same bowler to point for four and then beat his previous highest first-class score of 169 when he paddled Darren Stevens to the fine leg boundary.

He finally holed out to Tawanda Muyeye, caught by Jordan Cox. Muyeye then claimed a second wicket when Brown tried to reverse sweep him and he was caught by Nathan Gilchrist. Felix Organ and Keith Barker scored freely, both reaching 44 not out at tea.

Kyle Abbott took 2-9 in Kent’s second innings, removing both Zak Crawley and Daniel Bell-Drummond in the space of four balls, while Organ (1-7) bowled Muyeye, leaving Kent hoping for some last day heroics from Ben Compton, who was unbeaten on 37 at stumps.

Crawley and Compton had batted well for the first hour of the evening session, but after 15 overs of resistance when they offered hardly any chances, Abbott got Crawley lbw for 29 and Bell-Drummond for a duck when he swished him to Organ at mid-off.

Muyeye was then bowled by Organ for three and although Compton and Jordan Cox survived to stumps, Hampshire remain heavy favourites going into to day four.