Hampshire will end the Ageas Bowl season battling for five vital LV County Championship points – thanks to Sean Ervine’s first century for more than two years.

Ervine’s 121 (173 balls, 12 fours, four sixes) helped Hampshire recover from 253-9 to make 351 in reply to Kent's 507 on the penultimate day of their penultimate match of the season.

It was not enough to avoid the follow on, but it could prove to be the most important of his eight Championship hundreds.

Hampshire should secure a draw after closing on 110-1 – just 46 behind – with Will Smith’s unbeaten 66 taking him to 1,000 Championship runs in a season for the first time.

Assuming they do, they will have a ten-point cushion over promotion rivals Essex going into the last round of games.

Ervine's magnificent last-wicket stand of 98 with James Tomlinson, who faced 43 balls for his unbeaten 11, secured two bonus batting points.

The left-hander hit four sixes against Kent’s persevering off-spinners - one straight hit against James Tredwell (4-102) and three against Adam Riley (3-124), the last of which brought up his hundred from 154 balls.

But with only seven runs needed to avoid the follow on, the left-hander was stumped attempting another maximum against Tredwell.

He slung his bat skywards in frustration before Kent captain Rob Key asked Hampshire to begin their second innings 156 behind.

James Vince (70) had become the first of Tredwell’s victims when he was caught at the wicket pushing forward to the first ball of the day’s third over.

But Tom Alsop, who resumed on six, made an impressive 33 on his first-class debut after Hampshire resumed on their overnight 127-3.

Tredwell bowled a 23-over spell from the Northern End and removed Adam Wheater for a 36-ball 30, when Hampshire’s wicketkeeper top edged a sweep and was caught by Darren Stevens at slip.

Alsop would have been out for 17 in his maiden Championship innings had Sam Billings not missed a stumping chance for Tredwell.

But the England U19 star, a well organised left-hander, recovered well to make an 85-ball 33.

Having clipped Stevens’ medium pace confidently through mid-wicket for the first of his two fours, he hit Tredwell back down the ground for his second.

Alsop batted with increasing confidence but a handsome straight six against Riley proved to be his last scoring shot as the young off-spinner took a low return catch in his next over.

Having also survived a missed stumping, Chris Wood was lbw to Tredwell’s next ball. And Billings made up for his misses with an outstanding one-handed catch to remove Matt Coles in the penultimate over before lunch, when Hampshire were 225-8.

Imran Tahir was caught at short extra cover after helping Hampshire to a second batting point.

Then Tomlinson gave Ervine fabulous support in ensuring two more.

After facing 17 balls without scoring, Hampshire’s last man got off the mark with an accomplished straight drive for four against Stevens, while giving Ervine the opportunity to blaze his way to his first century since May 2012.