Kent built up a lead of 239 runs as their vital Championship game with Surrey remains finely poised going into the final day at Guildford.

Four wickets in the evening session left Kent with plenty of work still to do, having appeared to be putting themselves in a safe and secure position thanks to fifties from Brendan Nash and Rob Key before slipping from 164-2 to 178-6.

Sam Billings and Calum Haggett then put on an unbeaten 51 together before the close, steering their side to stumps at 229-6. With the pitch looking like it may well favour the batsmen on the final day, Kent will need further contributions from their lower order to give them a chance of a positive result the final day tomorrow.

Stuart Meaker was chief destroyer for the home side, taking 4-67 as Kent fought hard to remain in touch in their second innings. The 25-year-old is enjoying an outstanding all-round game in his first Championship appearance for Surrey since the reverse fixture at Canterbury in early May, having been the pick of the bowlers in the first innings, and then making 52 this morning in a vital last wicket partnership of 82 with Matt Dunn.

As both teams continue to push for a promotion place, a victory for either side could have huge consequences in the shake-up at the top of the Second Division as we approach the business end of the Championship campaign.

With Surrey resuming on 303-6, still trailing by 105 runs, the morning session had started in perfect fashion for Kent who picked up three wickets in the first 20 minutes of the third day.

Darren Stevens had overnight batsmen Gareth Batty (26) and Gary Wilson (84) caught behind in his first two overs, while Mitch Claydon picked up a well-deserved wicket by trapping Tim Linley lbw for 4, leaving Surrey 316-9, still trailing by 92 when Meaker and Dunn came together as the last wicket partnership.

They went on to frustrate Kent for the next 90 minutes, chipping away at the visitors’ lead and adding a more than useful 82 together. They had taken their side to the cusp of lunch before Adam Riley finally ended the hosts’ innings, trapping Meaker lbw for 52; the seamer having registered the fifth half-century of his First Class career.

The fall of Meaker saw Surrey all out for 398, trailing Kent by just 10 runs on first innings with Dunn unbeaten on a career-best 31.

Having been facing a deficit of 92 at nine-down when the partnership had begun, and also having been 105-5 at one stage yesterday afternoon, the importance of the batting efforts of Surrey’s lower order cannot be overstated.

After an early lunch was taken at the change of innings, Daniel Bell-Drummond and Rob Key began Kent’s second knock in the afternoon session, looking to extend what was a far slimmer lead than they might have been hoping for.

The openers put on 55 for the first wicket before Meaker, enjoying a fine all-round game, found Bell-Drummond’s edge and had him caught by wicket-keeper captain Wilson, having made 25.

Ben Harmison, in at three, made 11 before also falling to a fired-up Meaker, again edging behind the stumps; this time Vikram Solanki holding onto a good catch.

That left Kent 69-2 as Brendan Nash joined his skipper Rob Key in the middle, and the pair went about calming things after the two wickets had fallen. It was sensible batting from the pair as they looked to keep out the good balls and take their chances when they could, with Nash brilliantly uppercutting Dunn for six over cover point not long before tea.

The pair added 56 together before the break, taking their side to 125-2, but both fell shortly after passing 50 in the evening session as Kent badly faltered, losing four wickets for 14 runs in 33 balls.

Having added 95 with his skipper, Nash was the first to go, edging behind for 51 trying to cut Meaker, before Key edged the same bowler to Solanki in the slips for 59.

Sam Northeast was run out for two, before Darren Stevens was dismissed by a fantastic one-handed catch, low to his left by Zafar Ansari at second slip off the bowling of Dunn, Kent falling from 164-2 to 178-6.

Billings and Haggett then came together to steer their side through to the close of play without further loss, putting on 51 together before stumps were drawn, and giving their side a fighting chance of forcing a result going into the last day.

Whatever happens tomorrow, it is sure to be an exciting close to what has been an absorbing few days cricket at Guildford.

Stumps, day three: Surrey vs. Kent, LV=County Championship Division Two, Woodbridge Road, Guildford, 20-23 July 2014:

Kent 229-6 (Key 59, Nash 51; Meaker 4-67) and 408 (Northeast 91, Billings 82 not out; Meaker 4-106) lead Surrey 398 (Roy 84, Wilson 84, Meaker 42; Stevens 4-110) by 239 runs

Surrey: Burns, Ansari, Solanki, Dilshan, Davies, Roy, Wilson*†, Batty, Meaker, Linley, Dunn

Kent: Bell-Drummond, Key*, Harmison, Nash, Northeast, Stevens, Billings†, Haggett, Claydon, Hartley, Riley

Surrey won the toss and elected to bowl

Bonus points: Surrey 7, Kent 8

Full scorecard available here

Pictures supplied by www.sarahansellphotography.com