LV County Championship Division Two leaders Kent will need to bat at their best to prevent struggling Middlesex from landing a shock win on day three of their Canterbury Cricket Week clash.

Kent reached the midpoint of the game on 49 for two in their second innings, needing a further 286 to secure what would be their sixth win of the LV County Championship campaign.

Their task was made all the harder when they lost England batsmen Rob Key (0) and Geraint Jones (16) in the 20 overs through to the close of a scorching hot second day.

Key's ill-advised pull shot to only his second ball flew to mid-on to gift Steve Finn a wicket, then eight overs later Jones played a rash drive against Chris Silverwood and edged to slip to leave Middlesex as favourites for victory.

Kent's best hopes rest with Joe Denly (24) and Martin van Jaarsveld (7), who remain unbeaten overnight.

It was Silverwood, with a cameo 46 from 44 balls, and a career-best 98 from Gareth Berg that frustrated Kent throughout a steamy afternoon as Middlesex recovered from 209 for six to reach a respectable 320 all out.

As the home attack tired and the ball softened, so a St Lawrence pitch that gave up 21 wickets on day one began to flatten out.

Resuming on their overnight score of 50 for one, Middlesex lost four wickets in the opening session, two of them in the early exchanges as Sam Robson edged behind off Azhar Mahmood without adding to his overnight tally.

In his next over Mahmood accounted for Owais Shah (16) to a catch at slip, then, after a 50-run stand for the fourth wicket, acting skipper Eoin Morgan lost his leg stump to a rapid ball from Amjad Khan.

Five balls later Khan was celebrating again when Ben Scott's leaden-footed drive edged to slip to make it 117 for five.

The visitors fought back either side of lunch through Berg and Dawid Malan, who added 92 in 24 overs before Malan (49) edged an attempted cut to the keeper.

That came off spinner James Tredwell, who took four of the last five wickets to fall to close with five for 100.

Murali Kartik lamely holed out to mid off, then, only two short of a maiden hundred, Berg's 100-ball stay ended when he nicked to slip to be athletically caught by Justin Kemp.

That catch was bettered after tea when Denly, running back towards the pavilion at long off, took a stunning one-handed catch to account for Silverwood, who sportingly applauded the fielder on his way off.

Last man Finn was soon snared leg before by Mahmood, leaving Kent 20 overs and two whole days to reach their target but, after two vital wickets through to the close, Middlesex must now fancy their chances of wrapping up their first win in 10 four-day starts this summer.