Match Report: Day One, Kent v Worcestershire LV= CC

Sam Northeast posted a 97-ball 50 with eight boundaries, on a cloudy opening day's cricket at Canterbury where 14 wickets fell today.

Visiting paceman Alan Richardson bagged five for 41 as Kent were skittled for 159 inside 51.2 overs, but the visitors also struggled in reaching 105 for four – to go into day two trailing by 54.

Kent got off to a reasonable start at 35 without loss, having been invited to bat first by the visitors.

But Rob Key's decision to shoulder arms against the naggingly accurate Richardson gifted the paceman his first wicket as the ball jagged in to peg back the right-hander's off stump and send Kent into a tailspin that saw them lose all 10 wickets inside the next 40 overs.

Richardson had Brendan Nash caught at second slip off a leg-cutter for no score, then Michael Powell was also dismissed without scoring when he was held at third slip after Gareth Andrew parried the initial chance in the gully.

Richardson took a breather after an excellent opening burst of 10-6-9-3 and though the floodlights came on soon afterwards, Kent's situation did not brighten.

Ben Harmison (five), playing his first Championship game of the season, clipped uppishly off his legs to be caught at mid-wicket and Darren Stevens also worked across the line to fall lbw to Andrew.

Kent's lost their next three wickets for four runs after lunch in the space of six deliveries.

Andrew skittled Geraint Jones (16) then snared home skipper James Tredwell (four) leg before five balls later.

Opener Sam Northeast square drove Andrew through cover point to post a 97-ball 50 with eight boundaries – his first half-century of the championship summer – only to be caught behind without addition when Richardson returned for a second spell.

Kent saved some pride with a ninth-wicket stand worth 43 between Mark Davies and Matt Coles (21) that ended when Coles swished across the line to depart leg before to Jack Shantry.

Davies continued to hit out, clipping 40 from 51 balls, before slicing an ambitious drive against Richardson high to point to end Kent's innings and send the players in for tea.

With the floodlights still on Worcestershire's reply started at 3.43pm, but they too were soon in trouble as Charlie Shreck pinned Matt Pardoe leg before when barely shuffling from the crease.

Davies accounted for Daryl Mitchell (8) in similar fashion and then re-arranged the stumps of Sri Lanka Test batsman Thilan Samaraweera (two) to leave the visitors in dire straits at 34 for three.

Moeen Ali and Alexei Kervezee dug deep in a fourth-wicket stand worth 70 in 16.1 overs with Ali notching the second 50 of the day from 86 balls and with six fours.

Kent's decision to re-introduce Coles for a second spell paid immediate dividends, however, when he had Ali caught behind from an ill advised cut shot.

The players soon went off for bad light soon after and umpires Peter Willey and David Millns finally called play off at 6.35pm with the loss of 11 overs.

Click here for the ECB scorecard

Photo: Sarah Ansell