Kent failed to build on a promising opening session on day one of their LV= Insurance County Championship clash with Lancashire at Canterbury on Thursday.

The visitors recovered from 80-3 just before lunch to end the day in charge on 344-4 thanks to centuries from Dane Vilas and Steven Croft.

Nathan Gilchrist took 2-66 and Matt Milnes 2-68 but Kent struggled throughout the final two sessions.

Vilas hit a buccaneering 124 from 158 balls and put on 215 with Croft for the fourth wicket. The latter produced a more measured 113 not out from 270 deliveries.

Lancashire won the toss and chose to bat in broad sunshine, with Kent making two changes from the side that drew at Essex. Zak Crawley came in for the injured Joe Denly and spinner Hamidullah Qadri replaced Matt Quinn.

The breakthrough came with the first change of bowling in the ninth over, as Gilchrist replaced Jackson Bird at the Pavilion End. His second ball found George Balderson’s edge, but it was dropped by a fumbling Crawley at second slip, who failed to grab it three times before parrying it to Jordan Cox at first slip who also spilled the rebound.

But it was the shortest possible reprieve for Balderson, who was caught behind by Ollie Robinson off the next ball for seven.

Luke Wells had looked fluent early on but he then fell for 39, toe-ending Gilchrist to Robinson. When Milnes subsequently trapped Josh Bohannon lbw for 19 Lancashire were wobbling on 80-3.

Vilas cut Qadri to square leg to bring up his fifty in the 46th over and Croft reached the same landmark three overs later when he hit Darren Stevens through the covers for four.

Having reached 229-3 at tea, Lancashire continued to pile on the runs. Vilas reached his hundred when he glanced Qadri for four. He succumbed to the second new ball, departing with the score on 295 when he slashed Milnes to Ben Compton at gully.

Kent lost Qadri to a hand injury late in the evening session but will look for quick wickets on day two, with Lancashire debutant Phil Salt looking particularly fluent by reaching an unbeaten 33 from 37 balls.

Gilchrist said: “In the first session there was a bit there for us, but from then on when the sun came out it just baked it a little and it was pretty tough work for the rest of the day.

"We stuck to our guns quite well, but it’s quite an easy-scoring wicket I think.

“With the new ball early on it was doing enough, but after that it was quite a grind, they batted really well and it was tough work for us.

"I don’t think we’re going to do much differently tomorrow, it’s the sort of wicket where you’ve just got be patient and hit the top of off, so hopefully we’ll be able to do that.”