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Kent's Matt Quinn and Darren Stevens take two wickets as Northants end day one on 362-5

Kent hit back with the second new ball after a long day in the field against Northants at Canterbury on Thursday.

The visitors were in charge for most of day one in the County Championship before Kent took three wickets in as many overs.

Matt Quinn - took 2-77 on day one for Kent against Northants. Picture: Barry Goodwin (47857317)
Matt Quinn - took 2-77 on day one for Kent against Northants. Picture: Barry Goodwin (47857317)

Emilio Gay hit 101, his maiden first-class century, while Luke Procter made 81 and Ricardo Vasconcelos 66 as Northants dominated.

With Sam Billings in the England Test bubble, Daniel Bell-Drummond resumed captain duties for the hosts. Kent lost the toss for the seventh time out of eight this season and they were once again left to rue their luck as the visitors chose to bat, Vasconcelos and Gay exploiting a benign surface to put on 135 for the first wicket.

Kent bowled with some hostility but no real menace and the only breakthrough came in the 26th over when Quinn, having switched to the Nackington Road end, had Vasconcelos caught behind by Ollie Robinson.

The visitors, particularly harsh on Nathan Gilchrist, reached 141-1 at lunch and Gay continued to play with measured aggression after the break, passing his previous highest first-class score of 77 by hitting Marcus O’Riordan for six over long on. He reached three figures when he glanced Jack Leaning to square leg for two, but he was subsequently out to the same bowler without adding to his score, caught behind after slashing at a wide delivery.

Northants were 246-2 at tea and they eased to 314 before Quinn struck with the second new ball, trapping Procter lbw in the 82nd over.

Stevens then struck twice, luring Rob Keogh into an edge to first slip, where he was caught by Jordan Cox for 38, before sending Adam Rossington’s off stump flying in his next over, bowling him for four.

When Stevens was replaced at the Nackington Road end the pressure eased and Saif Zaib and Tom Taylor batted through the final half-hour, reaching 17 and 19 not out respectively at the close.

Stevens ended with 2-52 from 22 overs and Matt Quinn 2-77 as Bell-Drummond ended up using eight different bowlers, including himself and Joe Denly - back in the side after a short absence due to personal reasons.

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