Kent look set for a testing run chase on the final day of their Rothesay County Championship Division 2 match with Gloucestershire in Bristol.
The visitors added 19 to their overnight first innings total of 308-8 to take a slender first innings lead of two runs.
Gloucestershire then slipped to 112-4 in their second innings but Australian opener Cameron Bancroft battled away in bowler-friendly conditions to score 83 off 195 balls and help his side to 251-9 by the time bad light ended play six overs early.
Gloucestershire’s first task when play started was to take the two remaining Kent wickets, which they managed in 5.3 overs. Chris Benjamin edged Gabe Bell (3-76) to Bancroft at second slip without adding to his overnight score of 74 before Keith Dudgeon (39) was well caught at mid-on by Will Williams off the same bowler.
Testing opening spells on a cold day from Keith Dudgeon and Taylor meant Bancroft and Ben Charlesworth faced tough tasks against the new ball.
They had taken the score to 14 in the 10th over when Charlesworth edged a defensive shot off James Taylor to be caught at third slip by Dudgeon.
Bancroft and Ollie Price then fought hard to prize out 25 more runs before, in the last over before lunch, Price (11) elected to drive a full ball from impressive left-arm seamer Mikey Cohen and presented Dudgeon with another slip catch.
Miles Hammond (33) had just hit Ekansh Singh over mid-on for four when attempting another big leg-side shot and miscuing a catch to deep mid-wicket to make it 109-3. With three runs added, James Bracey fell for a duck, edging a drive off Cohen to second slip where the diving Sam Northeast got one hand to the ball and directed it upwards for first slip Zak Crawley to gather at the second attempt.
With a lead of 110, Gloucestershire looked in some peril. But the resolute Bancroft, riding his luck with several play and misses, moved to a half-century and Tommy Boorman helped take the score to 143-4 at tea.
The final session saw Boorman (19) flick a ball from Singh in the direction of square leg where Tawanda Muyeye took a tumbling catch. But another partnership then frustrated Kent as Graeme van Buuren hit seven fours in a positive contribution of 32 off 31 balls.
He helped Bancroft bring the 200 up with a stand of 49 before having his off stump knocked back by a delivery from Taylor (3-53) that looked to keep a bit low.
The big wicket of Bancroft quickly followed as he played back to a ball from Joey Evison that nipped back off the seam and pinned him leg before having been at the crease for just over five hours.
Matt Taylor was caught behind for 10, aiming an expansive drive at a wide ball from Singh (3-46), to make it 227-8.
Gloucestershire took their total past 250 when Williams was unluckily bowled by Cohen off his thigh pad.
The umpires then decided the light was too poor, leaving Ed Middleton to continue the fight tomorrow on 21 not out.
Report via ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
