KENT'S survival hopes in Southgate suffered a huge blow with the dismissal of Michael Bevan after an hour's play.

The Aussie left-hander had reached 66 inside 224 minutes for his part in a third wicket stand worth 162 in 60 overs when Middlesex struck.

Spinner Paul Weekes made the breakthrough, finding an inside edge for a bat-bad catch that Ben Hutton gleefully accepted one-handed a short leg.

David Fulton and Matt Walker (9) then teamed up to take Kent on to 232 for three without further alarm.

Fulton reached the 24th ton of his career with a straight drive off Melvyn Betts for his 12th four and his first century against Middlesex.