Jordan Cox was delighted to get his first century of the season quickly under his belt.

The 21-year-old scored his second first-class ton as Kent started their County Championship Division 1 campaign with a high-scoring draw against Essex.

Cox didn’t reach three figures last year, despite going past 80 on three occasions, but he made no mistake in Kent’s first innings at Chelmsford. He reached 129 before he was caught by Matthew Critchley off Dan Lawrence’s bowling.

“It’s always nice to start off with a hundred,” said Cox, whose only other first-class century came in a record-breaking 423-run stand with Jack Leaning in August 2020.

“Last year, I did get the opportunity, opening the batting, but I didn’t capitalise, really.

“I got four 50s (in the County Championship alongside three T20 half-centuries) so I was really determined to get a hundred early on this year so that I was not thinking ‘Oh God, I have not got a hundred yet’.

“I worked really hard in the winter for it.”

Kent reached 581 in reply to Essex’s 514 all out before the captains shook hands on a draw on Sunday, with Essex 68-1 and the two teams sharing 12 points apiece.

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“It’s always nice to get points on the board first game of the season against a very good side,” Cox commented, who wasn't the only Kent player among the runs.

Opener Ben Compton also reached 129 while promising batter Tawanda Muyeye (58), veteran all-rounder Darren Stevens (51), bowler Matt Milnes (67) and Australian overseas pace bowler Jackson Bird (53 not out) struck half-centuries.

On the displays of Compton and Muyeye, Cox enthused: “We have got someone like Ben, who didn’t have the best of times at Notts.

“But with the coaching staff and players all backing him, he showed everyone what he can do. We were all really pleased for him.

“Tawanda’s is an incredible story, really. He is such a talented young boy.

“He has a very bright future ahead of him. I hope, when he gets to the 60 and 70-mark, he makes the big scores.

“If he does that, he will be an incredible player, without a doubt.”

Kent host Lancashire at Canterbury from tomorrow, having lost the corresponding fixture by an innings 12 months ago.

Cox recalled: “They beat us pretty comfortably, so we will try and turn them over this year.

"We will have to play really well to do it but I cannot see why we cannot do that.”

For Kent’s players, it will be a first chance to play in front of unrestricted crowds at The Spitfire Ground since prior to the Covid pandemic.

“That’ll be good - not many people will have played in front of full crowds,” Cox said. “It's really good to play in front of such good fans at Kent.

“They are very positive and we will look to put in a good performance for them.”