LANCASHIRE were last night forced to follow-on in reply to Kent’s 570-8 declared during the third day of their LV= County Championship match at Canterbury.

The Division Two leaders were bowled out for 259 in their first innings after tea, despite captain Steven Croft’s 170-ball 85 and another half-century for Boltonian Karl Brown.

They were asked to bat again 311 runs behind with 16 overs left in the day, and closed on 47-2 from 15.4 overs, with Alviro Petersen bowled playing across the line by James Tredwell to signal an early close.

Brown failed to add to his first-innings score and was trapped lbw by Matt Coles two balls into the second innings.

Croft’s side must now draw this match today in order to secure promotion back to Division One in this round of matches. They need only two more points, with five available for the draw.

Lancashire, starting the day on 25-0 in their first innings, slipped to 101-5 before lunch, including losing Bolton's Haseeb Hameed and Petersen to wily medium pacer Darren Stevens in the 17th over of the innings.

Brown had made his way to 53 by the time he edged Coles to a juggling Ben Harmison at third slip, leaving the score at 97-4.

The 27-year-old has now passed 50 eight times in 14 Championship innings this season, converting one of them into a century.

Alex Davies chopped Coles onto his middle stump shortly before the lunch break before Croft led an afternoon fightback with help from sixth-wicket partner Jordan Clark.

They shared 91 in 25 overs, with Clark contributing 44 to go with his three wickets earlier in the contest.

His innings was ended when he edged Calum Haggett to second slip, leaving Lancashire at 192-6 in the 62nd over before Tom Bailey was bowled by James Tredwell’s off-spinners shortly before tea with 227 on the board.

Sandwiched in between the Clark and Bailey dismissals, Croft reached his fifty off 108 balls.

Lancashire clinched their second batting point for passing 250 in the 83rd over, but not before Glen Chapple had top-edged a hook at Haggett to long-leg as the score slipped to 242-8.

Hunn then picked up his second wicket when he had Simon Kerrigan strangled down the leg-side for two with 259 on the board in the 87th over before Coles trapped Croft lbw in the next to wrap up the innings.