KENT’S championship title challenge suffered a blow when rain stopped play in the club’s crucial championship clash with Middlesex.

Kent were forced to toil to dismiss relegation threatened Middlesex on a flat Lord’s pitch.

Justin Kemp enjoyed most success on a dreary third day.

The wiry all-rounder claimed three for 53 late in the day to reduce the hosts to 550 for nine before rain stopped play.

Andrew Hall had removed centurion Ben Hutton at the start of the day with an excellent leg-cutter then, after dull half-centuries from Ed Joyce and Jamie Dalrymple, Darren Stevens removed both with successive balls.

Matt Walker was hit for two sixes by his former team-mate Peter Trego but Walker then trapped him leg before next ball to enjoy the last laugh.

Middlesex will go into the fourth and final day with a lead of 166 but the draw now seems the likeliest result.

SCORECARD

Kent first innings

D P Fulton b Trego 16
R W T Key c Shah b Richardson 94
M van Jaarsveld b Trego 0
M J Walker c Scott b Trego 11
D I Stevens st Scott b Golwalkar 43
J M Kemp b Dalrymple 102
A J Hall c Joyce b GolWalkar 16
N J O’Brien c Hutton b Richardson 13
M M Patel c Dalrymple b Golwalkar 0
S J Cook lbw b Richardson 0
A Khan not out 58
Extras 31

Total 384 all out after 103 overs.

Fall of wicket: 1-50, 2-56, 3-80, 4-172, 5-182, 6-198, 7-245, 8-248, 9-249.

Bowling: Richardson 27-4-90-3, Betts 20-2-74-0, Trego 20-1-88-3, Golwalkar 31-7-112-3, Dalrymple 5-0-15-0.

Middlesex first innings

E T Smith b Khan 14
B L Hutton c O’Brien b Hall 152
O A Shah lbw b Patel 128
J W M Dalrymple lbw b Stevens 76
E C Joyce c Key b Stevens 68
P N Weekes not out 26
P D Trego lbw b Walker 28
B J M Scott b Kemb 4
M M Betts c O’Brien b Kemp 4
Y A Golwalkar c O’Brien b Kemp 3
A Richardson not out 8
Extras 39

Total 550 for nine after 169 overs (rain stopped play)

Fall of wicket: 1-27, 2-306, 3-351, 4-475, 5-475, 6-512, 7-525, 8-529, 9-533.

Bowling: Khan 24-3-106-1, Cook 19-2-59-0, Kemp 21-2-53-3, Hall 25-2-92-1, Stevens 19-3-62-2, Patel 47-10-110-1, Walker 13-0-42-1, van Jaarsveld 1-0-1-0.