Finding four-day cricket consistency will be key for Kent, admits opener Ben Compton.

A resolute second-innings display saw Kent move off the foot of Division 1 with a draw against Hampshire at Canterbury despite being skittled for 95 on the first day.

But, needing to bat out the final day to avoid defeat, they were much better the second time around. Jack Leaning top scored with 68 not out after Compton (54) and fellow opener Zak Crawley (56) contributed half-centuries in their total of 259-4.

Compton said: “Our season has been interesting in the sense where there’s been signs and spells of real excellence.

“The challenge for us is to try and keep that consistency. When we get it right with the ball, we do really well and, with the bat, we’ve shown the right stuff.

“So it’s just about trying to find that consistency.”

A 122-run opening stand between Compton and Crawley gave Kent a chance and, although they lost three wickets for only four runs, they secured the draw with relative ease.

“It was hard work,” said Compton of his half-century - his third this summer - which also moved him beyond 2,000 runs since he joined Kent in October 2021.

“I think the Hampshire attack is a bloody tough one and they deserve a lot of respect. They are right up there with the best in the country.

“So, obviously, I’m chuffed to get runs against them and also to help us get a draw.”

There was still a bit of work for Kent to do at 182-4 in the afternoon session but an unbeaten partnership of 77 in disciplined fashion between Leaning and wicketkeeper Jordan Cox, with 30 not out off 130 balls, saw them stand firm.

“It was perfect batting for the situation, just real clinical batting,” said Durban-born Compton.

“They didn’t leave us with a really awkward and horrible afternoon session where we were losing wickets and left trying to scrape a draw.

“I think they batted really well and really professionally.”

But Kent, still with just one win this season, can ill-afford another sloppy stage at any spell across the four days when they face champions and leaders Surrey from tomorrow at The Kia Oval.

Compton said: “It’s tricky. Hampshire are a very good attack and I don’t think there were a whole heap of soft dismissals [in Kent’s first innings].

“We had a few nick offs and a few good balls, and the pitch was quite lively on the first morning. That’s four-day cricket.

“The pitch gets better, the sun comes out and batting becomes a bit easier. It’s just about weathering that storm.

“Surrey have a good attack so we’ll need to try and be aware of that and try and put our best foot forward in that sense. It’s just one of those things - it happens in four-day cricket.

“But it [the draw with Hampshire] shows, even if you have a bad start, if you hang in there, you can come away with something.”

The Surrey game will be Kent’s last red-ball fixture before their T20 Blast campaign starts next week, with Matt Walker’s men presently second-bottom in the table.

But Compton said: “If we focus on playing our best cricket, the table will look after itself.

“I don’t think we want to pay too much attention to that. It’s just about us trying to nail our skills, really, trying to gel together as a team and being really consistent.

“If we do, then I think the things like the result, runs and wickets will all kind of follow.”