Kent opener Ben Compton hit his third century in as many innings this summer - but couldn't prevent defeat by Lancashire on Sunday.

The visitors took maximum points in their LV= County Championship Division 1 clash at Canterbury as they completed a 10-wicket win after tea on day four.

Their progress was held up by Compton and the unlikely batting resistance of Hamidullah Qadri, who survived for more than three hours on his way to 77.

Qadri's vigil ended after 177 balls when he was bowled by overseas paceman Hasan Ali (3-36), having put on 139 for the eighth wicket with Compton.

Compton became the first Kent batsman to score centuries in each of his first three innings for the club. He was finally out for 115, having faced 340 balls and batted for 18 minutes shy of eight hours. He carried his bat for 104 in Kent's first innings.

Kent resumed on 81-6 overnight and Parkinson removed Matt Milnes lbw with the sixth ball of the morning, without adding to his overnight score of eight.

Qadri, however, batted with discipline while also displaying flashes of style as he punished the looser deliveries. It frustrated Lancashire to the extent that Parkinson was switched from the Pavilion End to the Nackington Road end, and back again, to little avail.

Compton reached his fifty shortly before lunch and Qadri passed his previous high-score of 30, against Sussex at Canterbury last year, before racking up his maiden first-class fifty when he elegantly cut George Balderson for four through backward point.

He was subsequently dropped on 53 by Steven Croft at second slip after Ali found his edge. But the Pakistan paceman was to have the final say when he found the breakthrough.

Nathan Gilchrist then survived just 13 balls before Ali hit the top of his off stump, bowling him for a duck, but when Compton cut Parkinson for a single to level the scores it at least forced the visitors to bat again. Compton then conjured a reverse sweep off Luke Wells to bring up his history-making hundred.

The visitors’ frustration deepened when Compton survived a stumping chance off Parkinson, but he narrowly missed out on becoming the first Kent player ever to carry his bat in both innings when he was the last wicket to fall - trapped lbw by Balderson.

Compton's last-wicket stand of 54 with Jackson Bird (17 not out) took the game into an unexpected final session. Lancashire needed just 34 for victory, easing to their target in just 7.1 overs.

Compton said: “I’m delighted on a personal level to make the start I have for Kent. I wanted to try and make an impact early doors.

"It’s with mixed feelings because we’ve been beaten here and we’re all looking at ways to improve and things we can do for next week. We’re expecting a similar kind of pitch so we need to find ways of dealing with that.

“It hasn’t really sunk in but I’m sure it will at some point. It’s dangerous to look ahead and start putting goals like that. I just try to keep it simple and just watch the ball, take things in small stages and just build from there, so that’s what I’ve been trying to but obviously I’m delighted with the start I’ve made and I hope it can help us win games.

“I’m tired but I feel like I’ve given everything I can and that’s a nice feeling. I’ve done as much as I can to try and get us a draw and hopefully in future games it’ll be a win, that’s what’s rewarding. I’m going to rest up tonight, have tomorrow off and then we’ll be training on Tuesday.”