Warwickshire scent victory as Kent collapse

Warwickshire are scenting LV=Insurance County Championship victory over Kent at Edgbaston despite the loss of four sessions to the weather after excellent seam bowling forced the match forward on the third day.

In reply to the home side's 453 for 4 declared, with Sam Hain 165 not out from 269 balls and Dan Mousley scoring 94 from 93 balls, Kent were skittled for 158 before closing the third day on 27 for 1 following on.

The visitors' first innings was cut down by a superb collective effort by the Bears' seam attack. All five seamers took wickets as Hasan Ali led the way with 3 for 36 and England's Chris Woakes picked up two wickets in his first Championship match for 19 months.

It remains a good batting pitch but Kent have a lot of work to do on the final day to deny Warwickshire what would be a remarkable win after the weather took out sessions four to seven of the match.

After Warwickshire resumed on the third morning on 367 for 3, Hain and Mousley extended their partnership to 179 against ultra-defensive fields. With Kent a key bowler down, Matt Quinn off the field nursing the groin injury he collected on the first day, at times all nine outfielders were on the boundary.

Runs still came freely and Mousley collected his fourth six with a breathtaking ramp over the keeper's head off Conor McKerr before falling six short of a maiden first-class century when he hoisted spinner Jack Leaning to long on.

Hain and Michael Burgess added a perky 39 from 31 balls to take Warwickshire to maximum bating points at which point they declared to make the earliest possible start on the pursuit of 20 Kent wickets. Chris Rushworth delivered the first two in a textbook new-ball spell as he trapped Zak Crawley lbw for a sixth-ball duck and then pinned Ben Compton in front.

When Joe Denly nicked a Hasan outswinger to wicketkeeper Burgess, Kent were 63 for 3 and a good-sized Edgbaston crowd were getting some reward for their patience through hours waiting for the grass to dry.

Daniel Bell-Drummond survived a nervous start to unfurl some attractive strokes on his way to 40 but perished just after tea when he sliced a steeply lifting Hasan delivery to gully. Ed Barnard then ousted Jack Leaning, caught at point.

At 86 for 5, Kent needed serious shoring up and Jordan Cox and Sam Billings put down some roots in a stand of 24 but a lapse in judgement from Cox triggered another clatter. The 22-year-old left one from Olly Hannon-Dalby which hit off-stump to spark the loss of the last five wickets for 48.

Kent's implosion earned them the unwelcome prospect of an awkward 12 overs to bat second time round. Crawley's unhappy day continued when he suffered an arguable lbw decision against Rushworth before, much to Kent's relief, bad light lopped off the last four overs.