WORCESTERSHIRE secured maximum bowling points but face a substantial first-innings deficit after day two of the Specsavers County Championship clash with Kent at Canterbury.

The visitors made sure of the third bowling point in the 108th of the permitted 110 overs to add to the one secured for batting when dismissed for 211 in Division Two.

But good knocks from opener Sean Dickson (79) and veteran Darren Stevens (81) formed the bedrock of a strong Kent reply.

There were also useful innings from Daniel Bell-Drummond (37), Sam Billings (33), the on-loan Will Gidman (54 not out) and Matt Coles (41).

Ed Barnard picked up three wickets for the County with Joe Leach and Charlie Morris claiming two apiece as Kent closed on 397-9 for a lead of 186.

Kent started the day on 55-0 from 20 overs with Bell-Drummond on 30 and Dickson on 19.

Bell-Drummond, celebrating his 23rd birthday, added only seven to his overnight score before becoming the first casualty of ladies' day at the world’s oldest cricket festival.

The England Lions batsman fenced a Kyle Abbott leg-cutter to second slip, where Ross Whiteley held on to a good catch diving to his left in front of first slip to make it 74-1.

Joe Denly moved on to 21 before having his off stump trimmed by a fine Morris delivery.

Then Kent skipper Sam Northeast (1) spooned a catch to Joe Clarke at cover off a leading edge from a Barnard ball to leave him marooned on 995 Championship runs for the summer.

At the other end, Kent’s South African-born right-hander Dickson posted a 106-ball half-century with nine fours, his fourth 50 of the Championship campaign, as Kent reached 152-3 by lunch.

But Dickson added only two to his interval score before chopping on against Barnard.

Billings and Stevens teamed up to add 40 inside 13 overs before the former edged an attempted cut to wicketkeeper Ben Cox off Morris with Kent still trailing by two on the first innings.

Stevens and Alex Blake (9) took the hosts into profit before the latter chipped to Whiteley at short mid-wicket off the bowling of Joe Leach.

The veteran then marched on to a 67-ball 50, the 69th half-century of his career but only the fourth this summer.

Stevens was eventually caught by Clarke at cover off Leach for 81 from 105 balls with 12 fours and one six.

Barnard claimed his third wicket as James Tredwell (9) top-edged a pull to Cox but then Coles made an enterprising 41.

He finally perished in the deep as Clarke took a good catch running around from deep mid-wicket off George Rhodes.

That secured the third bowling point in the 108th over before the light intervened.