KENT were left facing an uphill battle to avoid defeat against Essex in their LV County Championship game at Chelmsford.

After being bowled out for 205 and being forced to follow on 165 behind, they had reached 54 for the loss of Joe Denly by the close.

He fell victim to a superb diving catch at second slip by Tim Phillips, on the field as a substitute for Matt Walker who suffered a split finger before the start of play while taking part in fielding practice.

Kent's response in their first innings owed much to 19-year-old South African Wayne Parnell.

After picking up four for 78 during the Essex first innings, he underlined his all-round qualities with an aggressive 69 that contained two sixes in an over against leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.

Parnell also struck nine fours in his 80-ball stay before he holed out at deep fine leg after sharing in a last-wicket partnership of 46 with Martin Saggers, whose contribution was just seven.

The top order batsmen never came to terms with an Essex attack that generated lift, particularly Chris Wright, and movement.

Half the side were back in the pavilion with only 57 on the board and chances of a substantial recovery disappeared when skipper Martin van Jaarsveld was run out for 35 by Varun Chopra's direct hit from deep backward point with the total on 96.

Kent's plight would have been worse had Essex held their catches. Darren Stevens was put down by Alastair Cook and Ryan ten Doeschate in the slip cordon, while Chopra failed to hold onto a catch in the deep offered by Parnell when he was 34.

The pace and seam attack of David Masters, Wright and Maurice Chambers each picked up two wickets, as did Kaneria.

Wicketkeeper James Foster pouched four catches to take his championship tally for the season to 21 as he again underlined why many consider him unlucky not to figure in England's plans.

But he was left a disappointed figure early on after he had resumed needing just five more runs to complete his century.

He reached 99 before he flashed at a wide ball from Saggers and nicked a catch to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.

Essex, who had begun the morning session on 330 for seven, added a further 40, just over half of those coming from Kaneria who gathered five fours while swinging merrily to score 23 from 14 balls.

Parnell collected his four wickets at a cost of 78 while Saggers provided the main support with three for 45.