Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sam Northeast each struck centuries in an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 226 as Kent severely delayed Hampshire’s progress towards promotion to the LV County Championship Division One at the Ageas Bowl.

Hampshire went into their penultimate fixture requiring 27 points from their meeting with Kent and against Glamorgan next week in Cardiff to be sure of going up.

But after a chastening day in the field, Hampshire were only one bowling bonus point nearer their goal as Kent’s batsmen made the most of a green-tinged wicket which got better and more bland as the day went on to make 312 for three from 96 overs.

Bell-Drummond recorded a career-best 135 not out having batted all day with great patience and control while Northeast continued a rich vein of late-season form with an unbeaten 115.

Neither batsman gave so much as a hint of a chance as Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams used eight bowlers in an increasingly vain attempt to break mid-table Kent’s stranglehold.

Not that it started that way. Kent captain Robert Key won the toss and chose to bat first and eight balls into the match was back in the pavilion wondering if he had made the right choice.

Former Kent pace bowler Matt Coles was particularly impressive in a hostile first spell, perhaps with a point to prove, bowling the former England opener as Key played across the line to Coles’ second ball of the day.

Next man Ben Harmison did not last long either, snapped up low at second slip by Liam Dawson to leave Kent 26 for two and Coles celebrating his second wicket of the morning.

Only then, in bright sunshine, did Kent begin the task of repairing the damage as Bell-Drummond was joined by the quicker-scoring Brendan Nash in a stand of 60 for the third wicket.

This was ended in the last over before lunch when Nash rashly attempted to sweep leg-spinner Imran Tahir and was adjudged leg before. At 86 for three, the first session had been evenly contested.

Tahir’s wicket was his first for Hampshire since 2010 when he was last drafted in as a replacement, in this case for home-grown Danny Briggs who having been the club’s number one spinner all summer was forced to sit out arguably their most important match of the season.

South African Test player Tahir did not have the best of days. Umpire Nigel Cowley issued him with a warning for running on to the wicket immediately after lunch and a change of ends did not bring a change of luck as Bell-Drummond and Northeast dug in comfortably.

With growing confidence and assurance, the fourth-wicket pair took Kent into tea at 178 for three with Hampshire, getting no assistance from the pitch, long since running out of ideas.

So it continued in the final session, Bell-Drummond reaching the fourth century of his career in the 75th over with a single to mid-on off Dawson and Northeast not long behind him in reaching three figures.

Northeast duly reached the landmark off 182 balls in an innings which included a swept six off spinner Dawson. It was by no means a new experience for Northeast, who recorded centuries in the previous two matches against Essex and Glamorgan.

At the close, Bell-Drummond had faced 289 balls and hit 21 fours while Northeast, no less in charge, had struck 12 fours and that lone six from 199 balls.

Coles was the pick of the bowlers in taking two for 44 from 17 overs while Tahir’s solitary success came in 20 overs, costing 73 runs.

Hampshire coach Dale Benkenstein said: “We bowled well and did not give anything away. All credit to the Kent lads. It was difficult early on but they both deserved their centuries.

“Promotion means a lot to the us and you could sense a few of them getting nervous in the dressing room, but I expect the whole issue to go down to the wire in the last match at Cardiff. In any case, this is only day one of a four-day match.”