LEGEND has it that when Delilah cut Samson’s locks his strength was severely diminished but the same will never be said of Kent’s Justin Kemp.

The South African all-rounder allowed team-mate Darren Stevens to shave his head earlier in the day as the squad grouped on the players’ balcony wondering which direction a seemingly aimless game would take.

Stevens, who also sports a cleanly shaven head these days, had no idea that later in the day Kemp would be bludgeoning five sixes in a vital century that helped bat Kent into a position of supremacy.

This was the first time Kemp had treated the St Lawrence faithful to an exhibition of big hitting, his two previous centuries came at Lord’s and Guildford last season, but those who witnessed the 152-ball ton conceded it had been worth the wait.

Played out on a threadbare pitch of slightly uneven bounce, Kemp’s first role - coming in as he did at 307 for five - was to steer Kent beyond Yorkshire’s first innings total of 382.

He lost sixth wicket partner Matthew Walker (60) soon after lunch when the left-hander flat-batted a loose delivery to cover point, but the tall 28-year-old dug in with Neil Dexter to add 81 in 27 overs and edge the hosts into a slight lead.

Dexter, compact and measured at first opened up to match Kemp shot for shot, hitting a six and four-fours in his 39 before having his leg stump pegged back by a Gideon Kruis yorker.

Kent were only 16 ahead at the time and, when Niall O’Brien ran himself out attempting a chancy second and Rob Ferley feathered one to the keeper, it appeared that parity would, more or less, prevail.

But Kemp was far from done. He cautiously edged his way into the seventies, content to wait for the occasional wayward delivery but once within sight of his third Kent century Kemp cut loose.

Facing off-spinner Richard Dawson, Yorkshire’s most threatening bowler on a dusty pitch with four wickets, Kemp clipped a two, smeared a straight six and then pulled a hugely powerful four through mid-wicket from the first four deliveries of the over.

He moved into three figures with another straight six and celebrated his first Canterbury century with another lofted six over long-on to take 24 off Dawson’s over.

Kent’s last wicket pair were far from done, however, as Robbie Joseph dug in for just over an hour for a career-best 29 as they added 84 in 16 overs.

Joseph eventually nibbled one to the keeper, leaving Kemp shorn, yet triumphant with an unbeaten 124.

It all meant that Yorkshire trailed by 151 after the first innings’ and, although the Tykes survived the last two overs of the day without alarm, they will need to bat well on the final day if they are to head back to Leeds with a draw.

SCORECARD

Yorkshire won toss and bat

Yorkshire first innings:

M J Wood lbw b Kemp 11
J J Sayers c Kemp b Cook 1
A McGrath c Kemp b Cook
M J Lumb c O’Brien b Dexter 3
D S Lehmann c Key b Cook 193
C White b Stevens 79
T T Bresnan b Stevens 33
S M Guy c O’Brien b Cook 6
R K Dawson b Stevens 12
J M Gillespie not out 7
G J Kruis b Stevens 1
Extras 27

Total 382 all out after 127.3 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-6, 2-18, 3-26, 4-34, 5-263, 6-334, 7-342, 8-369, 9-378

Bowling: Joseph 26-5-86-0, Cook 27-8-67-4, Kemp 20-3-56-1, Dexter 17-2-55-1, Stevens 17.3-3-36-4, Ferley 14-3-42-0, Walker 6-1-17-0.

Kent first innings:

D P Fulton c Guy b Dawson 75
R W T Key c Guy b Bresnan 81
M van Jaarsveld c Sayers b Dawson 82
S J Cook lbw b Lehmann 0
M J Walker c Wood b Dawson 60
D I Stevens lbw b McGrath 3
J M Kemp not out 124
N J Dexter b Kruis 39
N J O’Brien run out (Bresnan) 6
R S Ferley c Guy b Dawson 14
R H Joseph c Guy b White 29
Extras 20

Total 533 all out after 177.5 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-153, 2-183, 3-186, 4-304, 5-307, 6-317, 7-398, 8-420, 9-449

Bowling: Gillespie 31-9-86-0, Kruis 27-5-91-1, Bresnan 26-5-67-1, McGrath 17-4-38-1, Dawson 43-3-151-4, Lehmann 21-2-60-1, White 10.5-0-26-1, Sayers 2-0-7-0.

Yorkshire second innings

M J Wood not out 2
J J Sayers not out 0
Extras 0

Total 2 without loss after two overs

Bowling: Joseph 1-0-1-0. Cook 1-0-1-0.

Bonus points: Kent 7pts, Yorkshire 6pts.