Liam Dawson, Ben Brown centuries put big win in Hampshire's grasp

Hampshire are in sight of a heavy victory over Kent in their LV= Insurance County Championship match at Canterbury, having reduced the hosts to 78 for 3 at stumps on day three, still needing another 269 to avoid an innings defeat.

Hampshire declared on 652 for 6 at tea, a lead of 347, on a day when the home side laboured throughout.

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, as the duo put on Hampshire's record partnership of 273 for the fifth wicket.

Kyle Abbott took 2 for 9 in Kent's second innings, removing Zak Crawley and Daniel Bell-Drummond in the space of four balls, while Felix Organ, who has 1 for 7, bowled Tawanda Muyeye, leaving Kent hoping for some last-day heroics from Ben Compton, who was unbeaten on 37 at stumps. Jordan Cox is the other not-out batsman on three.

"It's going to be a long, old struggle from here," a Kent member said, with some understatement, during the tea interval, having witnessed the home side get pummelled for the first two sessions.

Hampshire had resumed on 337 for 4 and although Kent were able to take the new ball, they began day three as they'd finished day two, bowling a buffet delivery every time it looked like they might build some pressure: after a maiden from Matt Milnes, Dawson took 13 from Nathan Gilchrist's next over.

Brown carved Milnes for four to reach 50 and Dawson straight drove the same bowler to reach three figures before the first hour was up. Hampshire were 337 for 4 at lunch, already 152 ahead, and when Ollie Robinson dropped Dawson off Hamid Qadri in the first over after the resumption 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, caught by Jordan Cox off the bowling of Muyeye, who then claimed a second wicket when Brown tried to reverse sweep him and he was caught by Gilchrist. But there was no relief for the hosts. Felix Organ and Keith Barker scored freely, both reaching 44 not out at tea.

Crawley and Compton 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 Cox survived to stumps, Hampshire remain heavy favourites going into to day four.