Bat continued to dominate ball on day three of the Rothesay County Championship match between Kent and Northamptonshire at Canterbury, with Saif Zaib, Calvin Harrison, Justin Broad and Ricardo Vasconcelos all making centuries as the visitors closed on 624 for six, a lead of 58.

Zaib was unbeaten on 150, Harrison hit 122 and Broad was 107 not out at stumps. Earlier Vasconcelos made exactly 100 and Tim Robinson weighed in with 55.

It was another sapping day for the bowlers but Jaydn Denly took his first red-ball wickets at the Spitfire Ground, finishing with two for 107.

The temperature was already 27 degrees in the shade when Northants resumed on 140 for one and the overnight batters quickly reached their milestones.

Harrison, 41 overnight, drove Nathan Gilchrist to reach his half-century and Vasconcelos, who’d ended day two on 87, took a single from Joey Evison to reach three figures, but he was then out, caught behind off Wes Agar.

When it was Harrison’s turn to rack up his hundred he did it in style, heaving Matt Parkinson for six over mid-wicket and seeing the visitors through to 255 for two at lunch.

An apparently dead game was briefly reignited when Parkinson had Harrison caught at mid on by Denly and James Sales was then brilliantly run out by Nathan Gilchrist and Harry Finch for 41: Robinson narrowly avoided getting caught by Ekansh Singh at short leg but hared down the track looking for a single that wasn’t there.

Singh, however, couldn’t take an ankle-high chance offered by Zaib when he was on nine and Robinson eased to 50 with a single off Parkinson.

Denly claimed his first first-class wicket at the Spitfire Ground when he had Robinson lbw but Zaib reverse swept his for four to bring up his half-century in his next over and it was 416 for five at tea.

Denly struck again in the second over after the resumption to get Lewis McManus caught and bowled for 13, but Zaib eased to three figures. He’d reached 99 when Kent brought the field in and then swept Tawanda Muyeye for six over square leg.

Broad drove Denly to put Northants into the lead and took a single from the same bowler to reach three figures in the 130th over. Rain is forecast for swathes of day four, but if it stays away the visitors might yet make life awkward for Kent.

Northamptonshire’s Justin Broad said: (On his maiden first-class ton).“It was obviously very special, I’ve been waiting to get that for quite a while, so it’s a dream come true and with my Dad (the tennis player Neil) watching as well it’s obviously very special. He’s been a big part of my cricket journey and still is today, he throws a lot of balls at me and I owe him a big thanks.

“We had both options (declare early or bat on) in mind and we chose to bat once. I think tomorrow we can’t control the weather so we’re going to come out and try to score runs pretty quickly and hopefully if it starts turning, and there’s a bit of turn out there, Yuzi and Cal I think will be big for us.

(Did his unconventional journey to the pro ranks make him appreciate this more?) “Yeah, one hundred percent, it’s been a journey, there’s been some tough times for sure but obviously some very special times also. I’ve loved every minute of it and I wouldn’t change a second, but yeah, to get a hundred today is like a dream come true and something I’ve been waiting for for a long time.

“Cal batted beautifully, I mean he’s such a good cricketer, bat, ball and field he’s done so well for us this year and he’s such a lovely guy as well so I’m very happy for him. Saif was a lot of fun to bat with, he’s done so well this year, he’s such a good player and to have him out there was very special, we’re good mates and he was speaking me through it.”

(On breaking a record for a seventh wicket partnership for Northants v Kent that’s stood since 1912) “That’s a good state! We bat nicely together, we know how to keep each other focused which is a good thing in partnerships.”

Kent’s Jaydn Denly said: (On his batting) “I was feeling good. Obviously, a flat wicket. I was looking to be positive all the time, that’s the way I go about things, timing it nicely, and unfortunately, I gave it away, which is a bit annoying. But as you can see, it’s a wicket that a lot of lads have gone big (on), so it’s annoying to not to join them.

“Yeah, completely accidental, but I ended up timing it nicely, and that’s what happens, I guess. You get good outcomes when you don’t mean to do things, but you’re timing it nicely.”

“I’m learning every day. Obviously, I’m still 19 and watching people like Deebs, Finchy, the way they bat, it’s just such an experience, mature way. I think that’s still something I’m learning. Obviously, still young, but it’s unbelievable to watch. I learn every day, even in training, always asking questions. Deebs batted It’s ridiculously well and it’s so good to watch. Obviously, I’m just learning from watching all the time.

(On his bowling).“I think it was nice to get a couple of wickets. Obviously, you could get closer to get off the field and batting again. But yeah, obviously, I’m buzzing. Whenever I get a wicket, it’s nice, obviously, being more of a batter. It’s always a bonus to get a wicket as well and help out the boys with the bowling aspect was perfect.”