Durham were last night on the brink of a maiden county championship title 16 years after making their first-class debut.

Last year’s runners-up moved to within touching distance of an innings victory over Kent at Canterbury, racking up 500 for eight declared before reducing the hosts to 159 for five in their second innings, still 116 behind. Defeat would condemn Kent to join Surrey in Division Two next season – the county’s first spell in the lower tier.