When Alan Mullally was caught at gully yesterday afternoon it meant Hampshire fell short of equalling their record score - by just ONE run.

With his side on 667-7, skipper Robin Smith called across from the players' balcony to check with scorer Vic Isaacs that they were approaching the club's all-time highest total.

Smith was, presumably, planning to declare as soon as Chris Tremlett and Mullally, effectively the last pair with Shaun Udal and Adie Aymes injured, had taken Hampshire past the 672 mark for the loss of seven wickets against Somerset at Taunton 103 years ago.

But Matthew Walker snaffled Mullally at gully off the bowling of David Masters with Hampshire effectively all out on 671-8 - five short of the highest ever first class score made against Kent.

That gave Hampshire a first innings lead of 94, with the best part of two sessions left.

John Crawley had continued where he left off on 223 overnight but took more risks than he had in the previous two days in adding 49 to his total.

He tucked into Amjad Khan with relish and hit one late cut on the up that fell just short of third man Min Patel.

But he soon found himself on the receiving end of a bizarre dismissal, seemingly the only way Kent were going to stop him.

Shaun Udal's straight drive was deflected by Min Patel, uprooting middle stump with Crawley out of his ground.

Crawley, arms raised in acknowledgement of his misfortune, walked before the umpire's finger went up and came off to another standing ovation having fallen 14 short of his highest first class score, made for England A against Eastern Province in Port Elizabeth eight years ago.

But his nine-and-a-half hour, 451-ball 272 was the biggest post-war innings by a Hampshire player, overhauling the 259 made by Gordon Greenidge against Sussex at Northlands Road in 1975.

It also helped his new side amass the highest ever score by a county against Kent.

The dismissal of debutant Nic Pothas, stumped coming down the wicket to the left arm spin of Patel, had brought Udal to the crease, in place of Adie Aymes, who was suffering with the medial ligament damage he sustained on Saturday.

And there was more injury woe when Udal was rapped on the thumb after a ball from Jamie Hewitt leapt from just short of a length shortly after lunch.

Udal had just taken Hampshire to their highest score against Kent, his clip through mid wicket taking the total past the 599 made at Southampton in 1913.

But this year's beneficiary was left calling for help when Hewitt's seaming, rising delivery caught him on the thumb of his spinning finger.

It was the first sign of any deterioration in an otherwise immaculate batting track, although a delivery from Min Patel had kept low on Sunday afternoon and physio Patrick Farhart rushed out and took Udal off immediately before an X-ray showed that there was no fracture, although Smith was left with the prospect of attacking the Kent batsmen without his only spinner.

Smith would have been encouaraged by the strong driving of Pothas and the positive batting of Chris Tremlett, who was shining with the willow in hand in front of Rod Marsh and John Abrahams, his coaches during his winter stint with the England Academy in Australia.

But Smith had to lead the team out for the beginning of Kent's second innings with three substitute fielders.

Dimitri Mascarenhas, 12th man after being left out on Friday, was again on for Aymes, allowing Pothas to continue behind the stumps.

But Udal's injury and Alex Morris's stiff back meant that two Cooks took the field with Hampshire 94 first innings runs to the good.

There was no danger of the presence of the Cooks spoiling the broth for they were coach Jimmy and his son Stephen, a recent recruit of the South African academy.

Chris Tremlett impressed with the ball once he switched to the Nackington Road end, where Marsh, Abrahams and other Academy bigwigs were meeting in the Les Ames stand.

Tremlett was indebted to Mascarenhas in removing Ed Smith and Matt Walker, both of whom were caught at first slip by "sub one".

There was time for Rob Key, another academy man, to smash 33 off 30 balls before he was caught by Derek Kenway at mid wicket off Mullally, while Neil Johnson found the edge of Walker's bat for Nic Pothas's first catch in Hampshire colours.

Will Kendall, bowling seam up, had a strong lbw shout against Andrew Symonds turned down but it was the first ball of Derek Kenway's only over that provided the talking point as the players left the field at 5.30pm with the match drawn.

Kenway, with Marsh and Abrahams looking on, fell on his backside after attempting to bowl the first ball of the last over of the match to four slips and a gully.