KENT took a well-deserved draw and nine points from their final away trip of the Frizzell Championship season in Manchester.

A game that lost 236 overs through rain, bad light and a sodden outfield was almost bound to finish in stalemate but at least Kent dominated the little action there was at Old Trafford.

Having dismissed the hosts for 184 to secure a first innings lead of 82, Kent made a poor start to their second innings when skipper David Fulton edged Glen Chapple’s first ball into the gloves of Jamie Haynes to go without scoring.

Ed Smith avoided a pair though, getting off the mark two balls later with a cover-driven boundary, but he lost Rob Key shortly after tea when the England right-hander waltzed past a spinning delivery from Gary Keedy to be stumped by Haynes for 18.

His replacement Alex Loudon dug in thereafter to add 60 for the third wicket, with Smith contributing an unbeaten 35 before Loudon padded up to the last ball of game by Dinesh Mongia.

With Kent on 92 for three the players then shook hands on the draw at 5.20pm.

The draw moves Kent back up to second place in the Division 1 table, but leaves Lancashire a step nearer relegation.

Earlier the hosts resumed on their overnight score of 70 for five at 12.30pm after yet another delayed start due to overnight rain.

They added a further 114 runs on a difficult Old Trafford pitch, before Ian Butler, who has been hampered by a knee injury of late, returned to take the last two red rose wickets and finish with three for 10.

In his final championship appearance for Kent, the Kiwi had Sajid Mahmood caught at point and then last man Keedy snaffled at mid-wicket by Robbie Joseph to end the innings just before 3pm.

Earlier, pace bowler Joseph enjoyed success either side of the lunch interval as Kent reduced Lancashire to 157 for eight.

Joseph accounted for Chapple before lunch when, in attempting a back foot force, he edged high to slip where Fulton pulled off an excellent overhead catch.

Soon after lunch Joseph struck again, bowling Dominic Cork (28) via an inside edge to make it 130 for seven and give the Antiguan three for 70 to equal his career-best return.

Matt Dennington also got in on the act, sending back Mongia for 41 after the bowler pocketed a sharp return catch as the Indian international drove firmly.