Cook’s four wickets help stem the flow of Nottinghamshire runs

Kent v Nottinghamshire LV= County Championship Division 1, Tunbridge Wells.
By Mark Pennell
Kent seamer Simon Cook bagged season“s best championship figures of four 58 prevented Championship leaders Nottinghamshire from completely bossing the opening day“s proceedings at the Nevill.
The visitors reached 393 for eight by stumps with major contributions from open Alex Hales (95), David Hussey (52) and skipper Chris Read (72*) as the visitors made the most of ideal batting conditions having won the toss.
Nottinghamshire got off to their best start of the season as Hales and Samit Patel, opening for the first time this summer, posted 42 inside seven overs.
Patel“s fun came to an abrupt end with his score on 10 and the total on 43 when he chased a wide ball from Cook and edged to the tumbling Geraint Jones.
Having posted an impressive 55-ball half-century from 11 balls, Hales should have gone for 53 when he charged down the pitch to the fourth ball of the day from James Tredwell aiming to hit over long-on, but his skied effort was lost in the sun at mid-on by Joe Denly who could only get one hand on a running chance.
Mark Wagh might have been stumped for 31 when, after another rush of blood, might have been stumped off Bandara but the ball clipped his pad to elude Geraint Jones and go for four leg byes allowing Hales and Wagh to post their hundred stand before lunch .
Three overs after lunch Wagh (44) flashed at a widish, full delivery from Cook to be caught at the wicket then Hales, in attempting to work to leg against the wrist spin of debutant Sri Lankan Malinga Bandara, found a leading edge to spoon a return catch to the bowler and go five short of a deserved ton.
In the next over, Steve Mullaney (1) chased outside off stump against Cook to be caught behind.
A fifth-wicket stand of 69 came to a surprise end when former Surrey batsman Ali Brown (39), when seemingly well set, attempted to cut to third man against Tredwell and edged to give Jones his fourth catch of the day.
Then, just before tea, Aussie David Hussey, who only landed in the UK on Wednesday, posted a 68-ball 50 before his attempted lap sweep against Bandara pegged back leg stump via a bottom edge.
Kent bagged two more wickets in the final session, Tredwell trapping Paul Franks (17) leg before with a quicker, flatter delivery then, with the second new ball, Cook nipped one through the gate of Andre Adams (35) to make it 386 for eight.
Having said farewell to popular overseas paceman Makhaya Ntini and with Dewald Nel and Robbie Joseph on the injury list, Kent suffered a further set back when Amjad Khan limped off in the final over of the day for treatment on a leg injury.
Play resumes at The Nevill at 11am on Saturday.