Durham almost wrapped up victory inside two days as 23 wickets fell on the second day of their Championship match against Kent.

Resuming on 43-5, Kent were bowled out for 78 and then Durham for 108, setting the visitors 177 to win.

But after reaching 96-3, they slumped to 116-8, still 61 runs short of victory when bad light stopped play.

An ECB Pitch Panel was later called after 38 wickets fell in two days, but no further action was deemed necessary.

Victory for Durham would see them go top of the Championship and, as they push for the title, the Pitch Panel's decision not to dock points will come as a huge relief.

Kent's first innings was the second lowest total made against Durham in County Championship history, Mark Davies (5-21) and Callum Thorp (4-34) sharing the wickets.

With 11 overs to bat until lunch, the hosts reached 32-0 but three wickets went down for four runs straight after the break, including that of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who departed third ball to Robbie Joseph.

Only Will Smith, with 28 off 66 balls, offered something nearing resistance.

Joseph took a career-best 6-32 and there were six catches behind the stumps for Geraint Jones.

Riverside pitches have been much improved in the last two years, as Kent are aware after making 301-4 in their Friends Provident Trophy semi-final win last month.

Ever since recent rain this pitch has helped seamers but it appeared to be easing during Kent's second innings revival until Davies took four late wickets to add to his 5-21 in the first innings.

Kent tinkered with their batting order in an attempt to hit their way out of trouble but it was the class of Martin van Jaarsveld which kept them afloat.

The South African put on 62 in 11 overs for the fourth wicket with the promoted Ryan McLaren and was unbeaten on 46 at the close.

Earlier, Joe Denly offered Graham Onions a return catch off a leading edge and then Amjad Khan was pinned lbw by a first-ball yorker to seal his pair.

McLaren put on 34 with Rob Key before the skipper was lbw in Liam Plunkett's first over, and the tide was really turning when van Jaarsveld took 18 off Onions' sixth over.

Davies replaced Onions and had McLaren caught behind for 44 before also coaxing edges off of Jones and Joseph, while Matt Walker clipped to mid-wicket.