Daniel Bell-Drummond and Jack Leaning showed dogged determination for Kent after Worcestershire declared their first-innings total on a benign surface at Canterbury on day two of their Vitality County Championship Division 1 clash on Saturday.
Earlier, Jason Holder and Matthew Waite both hit unbeaten centuries as Worcestershire built a lead.
Joe Leach then took two early wickets to reduce Kent to 15-2 before the hosts rallied to finish on 112-2 at stumps - a deficit of 506 runs. Bell-Drummond and Leaning were the not out batsmen on 54 and 43, respectively.
West Indian all-rounder Holder had been unbeaten on 123 while Waite made exactly 100 before the visitors declared on 618-7 in their first innings, with Adam Hose contributing 90.
Joey Evison had the hosts’ best bowling figures with 3-58, Matt Parkinson claiming three wickets after bowling for 44.5 overs.
Evison said: “It was difficult.
“I cannot fault the boys’ effort, really, on a pretty docile and slow (pitch) - a really good batting wicket essentially - but to show that fight after having 150-odd overs in the field, that partnership is still really going strong.
“It’s been really key for us.
“We will come back stronger tomorrow. It’s a very good batting wicket and they, obviously, batted well on it.”
The visitors began day two 308-5 at The Spitfire Ground and continued to bat for as long as possible on a wicket that looked like a chipboard.
Kent’s breakthrough finally came in the 117th over. Evison initially had a shout for lbw against Hose turned down but the next delivery hit him low on the pad in front of middle.
Rob Jones went for 37 when he swished at Parkinson (3-201) and was caught by Bell-Drummond at first slip, but it was 424-7 at lunch. Holder then let
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