With Middlesex having declared on 550/9, a lead of 164, Kent got off to a bad start with the early dismissal of David Fulton for 9. Key (52) and van Jaarsveld (26) put on a good stand but fell either side of a duck for Walker. When Stevens fell for 15, it was left to Kemp (30) and Hall (37*) to save the day for Kent.

Yogesh Golwalkar finished with figures of 3-41, whilst Alan Richardson and Jamie Dalrymple ended with two wickets a peice.

The draw leaves Middlesex 23 points a head of Surrey, whose match in hand started today. It was washed out completely. Middlesex will have to hope for more of the same with their last match in the Championship being at the Oval

Day 3:

Middlesex built a lead of 166 over Kent before a torrential storm wiped out the final session of the third day at Lord’s.

It deprived the home attack of a chance to make inroads into Kent’s batting on a still placid pitch, making a draw the likeliest outcome. That said, Middlesex will still be aiming for early wickets tomorrow to push for a possible victory – something that would do wonders in alleviating their relegation fears.

In the morning, captain Ben Hutton (152) added just two singles to his new personal best score before edging Andrew Hall behind.

Nonetheless, Jamie Dalrymple and Ed Joyce took Middlesex to maximum batting points, though Joyce was badly dropped at mid-on off spinner Min Patel shortly after the hosts had passed Kent’s 384.

There was an element of restraint about Middlesex’s approach, adding 99 in the morning session, but the duo came out more positively after lunch.

Missed again by Justin Kemp at slip off former Crusader Simon Cook, Irishman Joyce scored freely, lofting Hall into the grandstand before attempting to hit Darren Stevens the same way and being well held by Robert Key running in from the fence.

With the batsmen crossing while the ball was in the air, Stevens then claimed Dalrymple (76) leg before the very next ball.

Peter Trego was promoted to add further impetus against his old club, and he did so by hammering successive leg-side sixes off Matthew Walker’s part-time medium pace. In trying to repeat the feat the next ball, however, he missed and was trapped in front.

Batsmen then perished in slightly worrying quick succession, with Kemp accounting for Ben Scott, leaving one that hit the top of off stump, and Melvyn Betts and Yogesh Golwolker to nicks behind.

Alan Richardson joined Paul Weekes to take the score to 550-9 when bad light (and not soon after heavy rain) brought a premature halt to play just before tea.

And with large puddles forming as a result of a tremendous deluge on headquarters, umpires Jeff Evans and David Constant called it a day at 4.30pm.

Day 2:

The most tense moment on day was when Hutton was on a standstill on 139 his previous best for half an hour before he nudged a single to reach a new personal best.

Earlier Ed Smith had made just 14 when he was bowled by Amjad Kahn who then suffered at the hands of Hutton and Shah conceding 60 runs from eight overs before lunch.

Shah and Hutton kept up the momentum batting solidly till tea Shah was eventually out for a composed chanceless 128.  After which Hutton and Dalrymple who came in before Joyce, due to fatigue from inactively having his pads on for too long, dug in and ensured no further loss of wickets in a turgid session after tea.   

Middlesex will look to capitalise on a healthy position on a flat track.

Day 1:

A last-wicket stand of 135 between Justin Kemp and Amjad Khan took Kent to 384 all out. The partnership took Kent from the perilous position of 249 for nine, past 350 - picking up a third and fourth batting point

Former Kent player Peter Trego had made the early inroads into the Kent batting, taking the first three wickets to fall with some useful swing bowling from the Nursery End. He bowled captain David Fulton (16) and Martin van Jaarsveld (nought) before having Matthew Walker caught behind for 11.

Key was 47 not out at lunch but accelerated after the break. He made a confident 94 when he nicked Alan Richardson to slip and Owais Shah took a superb diving catch, leaving Kent 172 for four.

Middlesex's new leg spinner Yogesh Golwalkar got his first bowl in the 33rd over and had an unhappy time, conceding 23 from three overs, before switching to the Nursery End. Suddenly his fortunes changed as did Middlesex’s.

Keys dismissal was start of collapse which saw six wickets down for 77 runs as Kemp was losing partners. However, as Kahn joined him Middx bowlers looked tired and clueless. The failure to get rid of the last pair quickly could be costly.