Kent’s County Championship Division 1 clash against Surrey dramatically swung back into the balance as they made a fine start to their record-breaking second-innings chase on Tuesday.

Hamid Qadri’s half-century helped the home side build up a 500-run advantage. But, led by a fine ton by Jamie Smith, the visitors ended day three at Canterbury already more than halfway towards their total.

Qadri reflected: “Let’s start yesterday, me and Joey [Evison] were in and they came hard for half-an-hour, and we worked hard to get through that and survive the day.

“Today, it was about adding a bit of pressure on them – going out there and trying to score runs to move the game forwards. We did that and to get a 500-run lead was a great job from all the batters.

“It’s still a good wicket but we just need to hold our chances.

“But tomorrow will be a good day and we’re looking forward to that.”

Dan Worrall’s first over of the day (3-63) saw an unusual incident occur. Kent all-rounder Joey Evison looked to have nicked behind and, although it appeared the umpire’s finger was briefly raised, it swiftly was brought down amid a lack of any real appeals.

Qadri was counter-attacking at the other end against short stuff from Sean Abbott (1-95). Tom Latham shelled a tough chance on the leg-side boundary after the spinner had clubbed a six earlier in the same over.

Qadri and Evison, 21, brought up their 50-run partnership, largely led by the former, in the 66th over.

Another short-pitched delivery from Gus Atkinson (1-55) then was blasted down the ground by 22-year-old Qadri for four to bring up his 50 before he repeated the feat in similar style the next ball.

Surrey finally introduced spin into the attack but Evison whacked Will Jacks’ (0-25) second delivery over his head for a maximum and yet another Qadri four took the seventh-wicket stand beyond the 100-run point.

The hosts had moved to 290-6. But that quickly became 291-9, as all-rounder Jordan Clark got among the wickets. He first dismissed Evison for 42, and then Australian overseas Wes Agar for a two-ball duck and Qadri (72) soon after that.

But Indian overseas Arshdeep Singh (12 not out) came to the party with the bat, racking up back-to-back boundaries from his first two balls, before Matt Quinn joined the action.

He hit Abbott for two fours, either side of a hooked six, to bring the 78th over to a close. Each boundary was really rubbing salt in Surrey wounds as 30-year-old Quinn sent Abbott for another six.

Two more boundaries, a maximum and a four, in the 81st over took Kent’s lead to 500 runs and the partnership to 53 before Quinn was bowled for a 22-ball 37 by Clark who ended with 5-79.

That left the away side with an awkward spell to see off before the delayed lunch interval.

But with just his second ball, Agar (1-66) got Surrey skipper Rory Burns to edge to stand-in captain Jack Leaning in the slips for four to give Kent an early breakthrough.

It almost went from bad to worse for them when 22-year-old Qadri struck with a direct hit from mid-on, although Dom Sibley and Latham had scrambled home for a single.

Surrey navigated the afternoon session well in general despite the odd scare or two, as they initially dug in. A single off Evison (0-52) saw them move to 50 in the 24th over.

Soon after, Sibley was given a life on 24 when Jordan Cox, standing up to the right-arm medium bowling, dropped what appeared a faint edge from Evison.

Qadri (1-34) was introduced into the attack for the first time at 3.30pm with the visitors 72-1.

He should have made the breakthrough around 10 minutes later, only for Ben Compton to shell another opportunity at leg-slip before Latham moved to his half-century shortly after and Agar put a much trickier chance to ground at mid-off from the same bowler.

The away team had reached 88-1 by tea, Latham 56 not out and Sibley on 27 not out - still more than 400 runs away from their mammoth target.

But Kent finally claimed their second scalp just before 4.30pm. Latham chipped Qadri to mid-off where Daniel Bell-Drummond took an excellent low catch to dismiss the New Zealander for 58.

Smith was quick to find his feet, though, and a cover-driven boundary moved Surrey beyond the 100-run mark. In total, that over went for three fours.

Indeed, 22-year-old Smith had raced to 33 in 27 balls to help bring up the 50-run stand. He was counter-attacking in style and brought up his half-century in 36 balls with a maximum over the square-leg boundary.

At this stage, Kent had opted for short stuff themselves, Agar bowling from one end and Quinn (0-42) the other, with the away team’s second-innings target of 501 beginning to not look entirely out of the question. Surrey had chased down 410 to beat Kent by two wickets previously - but not since 2002.

Sibley went to his 50 from a much more sedate 161 balls in the 56th over thanks to a single off Agar, which left Surrey 186-2.

In the next over, Compton again dropped a chance to dismiss Smith on 77 off Quinn at backward point to take the partnership to the 100-run mark.

Joe Denly was introduced into the attack (0-17) but, with the away team now requiring less than 300 for victory, Smith nailed another four to move to his century.

Smith had certainly taken a liking to Denly’s leg-spin and struck the first three balls of the 64th over for 11.

But the next over saw debutant Singh (1-48) bowl Smith for a sensational 77-ball 114, much to the relief of the Kent contingent, to leave the score at 230-3. Smith’s knock included 18 fours and four sixes in total.

That brought Ben Foakes in and he had looked relatively comfortable, although he was hit on the helmet off 24-year-old Singh in the 71st over and survived a huge lbw shout from Singh’s penultimate ball of the day.

Nevertheless, Foakes was unbeaten on 22 at the close while Sibley was left 61 not out overnight with Surrey 263-3.