With Kent's Darren Stevens and Geraint Jones combining for a fifth wicket partnership of 210 in 35 overs, Surrey now face a real test of character if they are to come out of this match with a draw. The Brown Caps go into the final day at Whitgift trailing the visitors by 251 runs, with seven second innings wickets in tact. With Yasir Arafat and Andrew Hall making the ball do a great deal more than the Surrey bowlers have so far managed, the size of the task facing Mark Butcher's men is not to be under-estimated.

Butcher has gone, so has Jonathan Batty, which just leaves one man capable of occupying the crease for an entire day in Mark Ramprakash. Last night Scott Newman contributed to his own downfall by ambling a second run to deep mid-wicket, from where Arafat arrowed the ball in with pinpoint accuracy. Nine overs later, the Pakistani, whose one spell read 15-3-32-2, had Batty caught at first slip and Butcher caught at second slip.

Earlier, Kent added nearly 300 to their overnight total for the loss of just two wickets in almost two sessions. Mohammad Akram probed, but was under-used, while Matt Nicholson beat the outside edge on a number of occasions before going off the boil.

Stevens cut Butcher for four to post his half-century in 51 deliveries, and then launched the Surrey skipper over long-on for six. Martin van Jaarsveld's 150 came off 211 balls, but the South African perished when he chipped Akram low to mid-off in the 89th over. He finished with 166 in 245 deliveries, including 21 fours and 4 sixes.

Stevens when he survived a head high chance to Brown at second slip off Akram on 85. Two balls later, the 32-year-old had another moral victory when Jones edged him in-between third slip and gully.

Four overs before lunch Stevens raced to his hundred in 125 deliveries by pulling Neil Saker for six, then on driving the 22-year-old for four. Jones then launched Ian Salisbury over long-off for his first maximum.

After the break, Stevens and Jones cut loose against the spinners, adding 155 in just over 23 overs. Jones yanked Nayan Doshi through wide mid-on for four to post his half-century in 60 deliveries. Four overs later Stevens went to 150, off 185 balls.

Having slog swept Doshi for six two overs earlier, Stevens then hit two huge leg-side sixes off Doshi's last, which went for nineteen runs.

Jones reached his hundred in just 94 deliveries with a single to mid-wicket off Salisbury. In the next over Stevens, stepping back and going for the pull, was bowled by Salisbury. The former Leicestershire man's came off 202 balls and included 25 fours and five maximums.

Kent declared fifteen runs short of their highest ever total against Surrey, leaving the former England wicketkeeper with an unbeaten 106 from 100 balls, which contained 9 fours and 3 sixes.

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