Sam Northeast fell six runs short of a century on his first County Championship appearance since rejoining Kent.

The 36-year-old was the only Kent batsman to come to terms with the testing conditions on day two of their Rothesay County Championship clash at Durham on Saturday.

Matthew Potts (3-45) and Kemar Roach (3-63) picked up three wickets apiece as Kent were dismissed for 197 in reply to the hosts’ 335. Durham then reached 83-2 in reply, to lead by 221 runs going into the third day.

Resuming on 50-2 under gloomy skies, Tawanda Muyeye and Northeast had a challenging opening period to see out.

Northeast hit the first ball of the day through third man and he picked up another as he cut a Potts short ball for four.

The breakthrough arrived just over 20 minutes into the day when Ben Raine pinned Muyeye in front for 10.

In the same over, Daniel Bell-Drummond then fell for a four-ball duck, as he edged Raine to Kasey Aldridge at first slip, which handed Raine his 300th first-class wicket for Durham.

And Kent’s slip from 65-2 to 68-3 was complete when Potts found a bit of extra bounce and Joey Evison was caught behind by Ollie Robinson for two.

Northeast plundered a Roach delivery down the ground for four and then reached his half-century from 94 balls.

However, his support cast kept on tumbling with Chris Benjamin departing for 19 to Aldridge after he drove straight to Raine at cover.

The players then went off as the rain came, much to the relief of Kent, and an early lunch was taken.

The players returned under the lights for the afternoon session, and Grant Stewart’s middle stump was sent flying for one straight after the break.

Durham had a chance to snatch an eighth wicket as Potts forced an outside edge from Matt Milnes, but Emilio Gay dropped it at second slip.

Bad light then intervened for a short period, but they were back out quickly and Potts got his third as Milnes was caught behind for eight, leaving Kent 136-8.

Keith Dudgeon joined Northeast at the crease and helped Kent avoid the follow-on. However, Dudgeon’s cameo of 22 came to an end at the hands of Roach, as he was caught behind, with Robinson producing an excellent diving effort.

Northeast’s defiance continued as he moved to 94 but Roach got his third as an excellent knock came to an end, the Kent man edged behind to Robinson.

The rain returned just as Durham were about to start their second innings but they resumed after an early tea.

Opener Alex Lee was bowled by Glenton Stuurman for six. It was then 26-2 when first innings centurion Gay fell for 11, as he clipped a Dudgeon ball to Muyeye at leg slip.

Ben McKinney, who initially found life difficult against Stuurman and Dudgeon, started to find his groove and he ended the day unbeaten on 27 with David Bedingham 32 not out at the other end when bad light finally called time on proceedings.