Basement boys Kent remain well behind Warwickshire in their County Championship Division 1 match at Edgbaston despite bowling the hosts out in the first innings on Friday.
Will Rhodes struck a chanceless 201 to lift Warwickshire to 420 all out and a first-innings lead of 264 runs.
Such a high-class innings from the former captain suggests that Durham, for whom he has signed a three-year contract, will welcome a player heading into his peak as a player.
Rhodes’ six-and-a-half hour marathon laid a foundation for his side to press hard for their first Championship win of the season.
Needing 264 runs to avoid an innings defeat, Kent closed the second day on 157-3 as Olly Hannon-Dalby (3-26) took his Championship wicket tally to 43 this season.
Kent’s multitude of problems continues to mount. Their bowling attack, nobly led by George Garrett (3-76) and Matt Parkinson (3-94), was deprived of Grant Stewart by a shoulder injury while Tawanda Muyeye couldn’t open the batting as he was unable to field due to a knee injury.
“Obviously, we’re behind in the game – but we had a good fightback in that middle session,” said Kent captain Daniel Bell-Drummond.
“The guys bowled well, Matt Parkinson stayed patient and got his rewards. George Garrett, against his old club, bowled well at the end.
“It was a good partnership between myself and Harry Finch – it’s a shame it got broken in those circumstances. Hopefully, we can start well tomorrow and try to take the game deep.
“It’s been a tough year. A tough game too – no doubt – but we’ve got to keep going.”
When Warwickshire resumed on the second morning on 207-3, their progress was immediately brisk.
Rhodes struck the first ball of the day to the boundary and five fours from his first 17 balls faced in the session took him to a 151-ball century.
Jacob Bethell edged Australian overseas bowler Charlie Stobo (1-69) to wicketkeeper Finch but Rhodes and Barnard rattled up a century stand in 150 balls.
Kent are having hard luck in the injury department this term, and so it proved when Stewart (0-47) pulled up in his delivery stride – flexing his shoulder – first ball after lunch and left the field.
The fifth-wicket partnership reached 145 in 34 overs before Barnard lifted Parkinson to mid-off.
The last six wickets then fell for 46 as Warwickshire, ahead comfortably already, threw the bat.
Michael Burgess pulled Joey Evison (1-27) to deep mid-wicket, Michael Booth lifted Parkinson to extra cover and Michael Rae larruped the spinner for six but was then stumped off him.
Garrett finished the innings by having Rhodes caught at deep square and knocking out Hannon-Dalby’s off-stump.
Kent started their second innings after tea with 43 overs to bat in the day and lost Ben Compton in the fifth of them when he edged a loose drive at a wide ball from Hannon-Dalby to wicketkeeper Burgess.
Finch, opening in Muyeye’s absence, and Bell-Drummond added 116 runs in 29 overs without many alarms but Lady Luck then truly turned her back on Kent in the closing overs.
Bell-Drummond was adjudged lbw to a ball which appeared to be passing well down the leg-side.
Finch departed in equal disbelief at being given out caught at slip off his shoulder.
