KENT'S chances of salvaging a draw from their LV Championship match with Yorkshire in Tunbridge Wells improved considerably when their first innings tormentor and Tykes' skipper, Darren Gough, broke his hand late on day three at The Nevill.

The former England paceman bagged six for 47 - his best figures in all cricket for nine years - to skittle the hosts out for 292 and have them following-on still 259 in arrears.

But in the process the 36-year-old fractured his right hand when attempting to take a return catch from a fierce Ryan McLaren drive. Gough had immediate revenge by plucking out McLaren's middle stump two balls later, but in clear agony, he was forced to go off leaving Tim Bresnan to complete his over.

Bresnan then polished off the innings three balls later by having Geraint Jones (61) caught down the leg side with Kent eight short of posting a third batting bonus point.

Gough was taken to hospital where an x-ray revealed the severity of his injury which could yet keep him out of action for a month.

It was a sad end to a spectacular afternoon for Gough and his side, who had polished off Kent's first innings with a flourish - taking their last four wickets for 25 in the space of 19 balls, with Gough claiming three for four in six deliveries.

Gough said: "It was an instinctive reaction in going for the catch, but I knew I had done it straightaway. I tried to carry on for a while, but there was no way I could have bowled another ball once my hand started swelling up.

"It's a sickening blow, but the only consolation is we just have one

championship game before the Twenty20s.

"It's very frustrating because I had been feeling very fit and in A one condition.

"I've been bowling well all season and knew if I kept bowling well there was a five-for for me soon."

Gough also revealed he would have batted again had the weather forecast have been set fair.

He said: "There was a little bit of swing, but the pitch is still very slow and not doing much. It was a great effort for us to bowl them out.

"In an ideal world, we would have had another bat. But there is a bit of rain around, and not as many overs (left in the game) as we would have liked."

Needing 402 to avoid the follow-on, Kent resumed on their overnight score of 116 for four and were soon losing wickets.

Rob Key was sent packing leg before for 62, despite making a huge stride down the pitch toward Jason Gillespie then, in the next over, Neil Dexter (34) nicked low to second slip.

The home demise was deferred while Andrew Hall (77) and Jones joined forces with a stand of 125 in 30 overs, a Kent record for their seventh wicket against Yorkshire beating 120 by James Tredwell and Steve Waugh at Headingley in 2002.

But Hall's dismissal, leg before to Gough's fourth delivery with the second new ball sparked another collapse and 28 balls later Kent were all out.

With Gough sidelined, Deon Kruis was promoted to open the bowling and he accounted for Joe Denly five overs into the innings, having the youngster caught behind for 10 after gloving an attempted pull shot.

But van Jaarsveld came in to avoid a pair and team up with his skipper Rob Key in an unbroken stand through to stumps worth 135 so far.

Key posted his second 50 of the game from 113 balls and had reached 72 by the close, while van Jaarsveld added a patient 56. The pair marched off with their side still 110 behind and knowing their job was merely half done. Both will still need to bat well into Saturday to prevent Yorkshire from wrapping up victory.

SCORECARD

Yorkshire first innings

C White c Hall b McLaren 21
J J Sayers c Key b Tredwell 187
A McGrath lbw b Hall 100
Younis Khan lbw b Cook 7
J A Rudolph c Jones b McLaren 43
A Rashid c Key b Stevens 54
T T Bresnan not out 55
S M Guy c Denly b Stevens 25
D Gough c Cook b Stevens 6
J N Gillespie not out 13
Extras 40

Total 551 for eight declared after 166.2 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-52, 2-255, 3-281, 4-368, 5-415, 6-471, 7-511, 8-523.

Bowling: Arafat 22-5-66-0, Hall 15-3-41-1, McLaren 21-2-76-2, Tredwell 47-8-149-1, Stevens 27.2-3-91-3, Denly 8-1-23-0.

Kent first innings

J L Denly lbw b Gough 10
R W T Key lbw b Gillespie 62
M van Jaarsveld c Rudolph b Gough 0
J C Tredwell lbw b Kruis 16
N J Dexter c Khan b Gough 34
G O Jones c Guy b Bresnan 61
A J Hall lbw b Gough 77
Yasir Arafat b Gough 4
R McLaren b Gough 0
S J Cook not out 7
Extras 17

Total 292 all out after

Fall of wicket: 1-12, 2-12, 3-55, 4-65, 5-141, 6-145, 7-271, 8-275, 9-279.

Bowling: Gough 16.2-6-47-6, Gillespie 17-5-58-1, Kruis 15-1-62-2, Bresnan 16.2-4-34-1, Rashid 11-1-55-0, Khan 5-0-15-0, McGrath 4-0-13-0.

Kent second innings (following on)

J L Denly c Guy b Kruis 9
R W T Key not out 72
M van Jaarsveld not out 56
Extras 12

Total 149 for one after 49 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-14.

Bowling: Kruis 12-2-51-1, Gillespie 8-3-11-0, Bresnan 9-1-31-0, McGrath 5-1-12-0, Rashid 11-1-30-0, White 2-0-4-0, Khan 2-1-6-0.

Bonus points: Kent 3pts Yorkshire 7pts.