FORMER Manchester Polytechnic student Min Patel returned to his old stomping ground to leave Lancashire in tatters on day three of a rain affected Frizzell Championship match at Old Trafford.

Patel claimed three for five in 15 balls including the prized scalp of former team-mate Carl Hooper for naught to send the hosts into the final day deep in trouble when bad light stopped play at 6.22pm and seven overs from the scheduled close.

Responding to Kent’s battling 266 all out, the red rose county wilted to 70 for five having been five down for just 50 after 19 overs of their reply.

Patel enticed Mal Loye (4) to chop on then had Mark Chilton (26) well caught by David Fulton diving to his left at short mid-wicket.

Hooper then went back to his second ball to be snared leg before to one that skidded through to wrap the left pad.

The seamers also picked up wickets, Ian Butler starting the rout by forcing Iain Sutcliffe (5) to play on the Rob Joseph had Jamie Haynes (0) well held by Matt Dennington at backward point as he aimed to cut.

The hosts will go into the last day of four still trailing by 196 and needing 116 to avoid the follow-on.

Earlier, half-centuries by Matthew Walker and Rob Key coupled with attractive cameos from Alex Loudon and Niall O'Brien took Kent to 266 all out and brace of batting bonus points.

Kent’s protracted first innings lasted 75 overs on a tricky Old Trafford pitch and through to tea on the third day of this rain-ruined match.

Walker led the way with 61, as he and Loudon (45) added 70 in 21 overs for the fourth wicket.

Loudon miscued an off drive to Dinesh Mongia running round to straight long-off then, after an impish 19 including a six off Glen Chapple, O’Brien went leg before to make it 195 for five.

Dennington then teamed up with Walker to take Kent past 200 for their first batting bonus point, but Walker then edged an attempted cut to the keeper in Hooper’s first over.

The introduction of spin at both ends quickened Kent’s demise as left-armer Gary Keedy made the most of prodigious turn to finish with four for 62.

Dennington edged to the keeper, Amjad Khan (0) and O’Brien (19) went leg before, then Dominic Cork replaced Hooper to have Patel (17) snaffled at slip and peg back Butler’s off stump to send the Kiwi packing for 19.

Joseph was left unbeaten with seven, as Kent edged past 250 to post two batting bonus points.