IAN BUTLER hit a career-best 68 not out as he and Rob Ferley mounted a partial recovery to reach lunch on 222 for eight.

The Kiwi Test player proved a big hit with the bat to help the county save face on day two of their rain-ruined Frizzell Championship match with Surrey.

Resuming on their parlous overnight score of 136 for eight, Ferley and Butler added a Kent record 101 for the ninth wicket against Surrey in 33 overs.

Not to be outdone Ferley also improved his Kent best to go into lunch on 27 not out having helped better the county’s previous best ninth-wicket partnership of 89 between Martin McCague and Min Patel at The Oval in 1996.

This was Kent’s first century ninth wicket stand against Surrey in a fixture that dates back to 1828.

Some 58 overs were lost to three separate rain breaks on Wednesday that disrupted Kent’s flow and concentration whilst allowing Surrey’s bowlers time to re-group and re-charge their batteries.

As a result, ball dominated bat as Kent slid from 43 for one to reach 136 for eight by stumps at almost 7pm.