Hampshire have to settle for LV= Championship draw after brilliant defensive display by Kent on engrossing final day

Hampshire's Liam Dawson, left, took two of the four Kent wickets to fall on an engrossing final day at Canterbury: Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire.

It was a textbook rearguard action by the hosts, who closed on 259 for four, having batted out 113 overs before the captains shook hands, even though Kent were still 18 runs behind.

Ben Compton and Zak Crawley had given Kent hope with an opening stand of 122 and although Hampshire’s hopes were ignited by a spell of three wickets for four runs, they were frustrated by Jack Leaning and Jordan Cox, whose unbeaten stand of 77 took out 43.2 overs.

Keith Barker and Liam Dawson took two wickets apiece, but it was an exasperating final day for the visitors.

The hosts will be far happier with the draw, having been skittled for 95 in their first innings, before Hampshire posted 373 in reply.

The visitors had looked heavy favourites, but Kent were 66 without loss overnight after 26 overs’ of stoicism from Compton and a restrained Crawley.

Batting conditions looked significantly easier in a Spitfire Ground that looked and felt warm for the first time this season, and both openers eased their way to fifty. But after over an hour of resistance, Dawson made the breakthrough with two wickets in an over.

Crawley was caught behind for 56 and four deliveries later Tawanda Muyeye fell for a duck, held by Fletcha Middleton at silly point.

When Barker subsequently had Compton lbw for 54 Kent were 126 for three, but Leaning and Sam Billings survived until lunch and for nearly an hour after it before the latter was lbw for 29 to Barker.

That was the only wicket to fall in the afternoon session, with Kent reaching 202 for four at tea.

Cox played with admirable restraint and when Mohammad Abbas did find his edge it bisected the slip cordon and his next delivery fell just short of second slip. They were isolated alarms for the hosts.

Leaning reached 50 when he pulled Barker to square leg for a single and an exhausted Hampshire side tried nine different bowlers before giving up the ghost with nine scheduled overs remaining.

Leaning ended on 68 not out from 206 balls, with Cox unbeaten on 30 from 130.

It was Hampshire’s first draw of the LV= season - after two wins and two losses - and left them 25 points adrift of table-topping Surrey.