Kent v Durham (County Championship) : Day Two

DALE Benkenstein resolutely maintained his pursuit of the treble for Durham at Canterbury yesterday with his tenth century in three seasons.

By being dismissed for 321 Durham had to settle for three of the five batting points and their lead of 109 looked like being easily wiped out until Paul Wiseman followed an innings of 36 by striking three times in 13 balls.

Kent were taking advantage of good batting conditions and jaded seamers in reaching 67 without loss, but they had subsided to 99 for three when bad light ended play.

Should Durham win they can go past Lancashire if the Red Rose men take no more than 11 points in total from their match at the Oval.

That looks possible with Lancashire struggling to add to the four points they have so far earned from making 234 to trail by 194 against Surrey, who declined to enforce the follow-on. That decision may yet enable Lancashire to hang on.

As has looked likely since Durham failed to nose ahead of Sussex despite beating them last week, the reigning champions are heading for maximum points against Worcestershire.

But Durham are further down the road towards victory and Benkenstein's 117 proved that he will fight to the bitter end. It took him alongside Wayne Larkins in fourth place in the Durham century-makers' list, which is jointly led by Paul Collingwood and John Morris on 14, followed by Jon Lewis on 12.

Phil Mustard has not added to last season's two championship hundreds and looked determined to repeat the one he made at Canterbury as he settled in with unusual caution.

But on 22 he pushed forward and edged Ryan McLaren to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones to end a stand of 64, which had at least repaired some of the damage from Wednesday evening's mini-collapse.

The next partnership was worth 86, of which Ottis Gibson made 40, which included a huge straight six off James Tredwell to bring up the 200.

But in trying to make room to cut the off-spinner, Gibson got into a bit of a tangle and was bowled, bringing in Liam Plunkett, who scored all his six runs in one straight blow off Tredwell.

He was lbw half forward to Martin Saggers, who also had two big early shouts against Wiseman before the New Zealander also decided to attack Tredwell.

Initially not everything was middled, but he settled to contribute 36 to a stand of 66 as Benkenstein throttled back slightly as he approached his flawless hundred.

He was on 99 when McLaren took the new ball and the second delivery was punched to the cover boundary off the back foot. It was Benkenstein's 11th four and he also hit Tredwell over long-on for six in reaching his hundred off 166 balls.

Unfortunately the last three wickets went down for four runs. Saggers had Wiseman lbw and the ex-Durham man finished with four for 89 after Benkenstein edged a drive to first slip.

Rob Key and Joe Denly scored freely at the start of Kent's second innings and Wiseman was on for the 14th over, bowling two overs at the pavilion end, where he was required to turn the ball up the slope.

He switched ends after break with immediate results, having Key caught by Mustard for 33 and Denly lbw for 30 in his next over.

Matthew Walker was determined not to be pinned down, and after moving swiftly to ten he tried to cut Wiseman and Michael Di Venuto held the sharp slip chance, his fifth of the match.

That made it 81 for three, and after 18 runs had been added bad light intervened at 5pm with 19 overs still to be bowled. The decision to abandon for the day was taken 30 minutes later and it will suit Durham fine if the weather in the last two days of the season allows them just enough time to wrap up victory while thwarting their rivals