Middlesex will probably need a big score from Leus du Plooy to get close to their target
Rothesay County Championship, Division Two, Merchant Taylors' School Ground, Northwood (day three)
Kent 350 & 254: Compton 65, Muyeye 64; Helm 3-31, Higgins 3-83
Middlesex 249 & 186-4: Geddes 37, du Plooy 36*; Singh 3-35
Middlesex (3pts) need another 170 to beat Kent (6 pts)with six wickets standing
Ekansh Singh tore the heart out of the Middlesex top order as Kent stepped up their promotion push on day three at Merchant Taylors' School.
Singh put aside a first-ball duck earlier in the day to snaffle 3-35 as the hosts slipped from 68-0 to 103-3 in pursuit of an imposing 356 to win.
Ben Geddes and Leus du Plooy launched a counter-attack in response, but the latter fell before the close, leaving Middlesex 186-4, with du Plooy 36 not out.
Earlier contrasting half-centuries from Tawanda Muyeye and Ben Compton ensured the visitors maintained the grip on the game they had established over the first two days.
Zimbabwean Muyeye exuded flamboyance in a boundary-littered 64 at almost a run a ball, while the obdurate Compton top scored with 65.
The pair shared a second wicket stand of 93, and with Chris Benjamin and skipper Daniel Bell-Drummond weighing in with 45 and 39 respectively, Kent were eventually bowled out for 254.
Tom Helm was the pick of the home attack with 3-31, while Ryan Higgins took 3-83.
The opening session revolved around the stand between Muyeye and Compton, their runs vital in the context of both the game and the Division Two promotion race.
With leaders Durham on course for another win and Northamptonshire, Kent's main challengers at present for the second promotion spot, handily placed against Lancashire, the visiting batters began the day 38-2 with a lead of 139 and knowing it was crucial not to lose early wickets.
With plenty of seam movement still in evidence, Muyeye clearly took the view attack was the best form of defence, shrugging off a lifting ball from Toby Roland-Jones which beat him all ends up to then promptly pull the veteran seamer for six before sending a similar short ball later in the over to the fence at long leg.