Kent carried on their pre-season preparations with some fine batting against Surrey at the St Lawrence Ground on Tuesday.

With both sides naming twelve players aside for the two day game being played under Championship conditions, it was Kent that held the upper hand after the first day closing on 318 for 8.

The sun was to shine at Canterbury, albeit the weather was far from spring like for the latest warm up game, but Kent will feel they benefited from some decent time out in the middle.

It wasn’t the best of starts for the Kent batsmen after winning the toss and electing to bat first with Sam Northeast trapped lbw by Jon Lewis for 11 with Daniel Bell-Drummond edging Tim Linley behind to Steve Davies for just seven.

Former skipper Rob Key was to fall shortly before lunch for 37 as Gary Keedy accounted for the Kent opener, driving to Gareth Batty at cover point, but Brendan Nash and Mike Powell were to put on 67 for the fourth wicket.

Nash was eventually out for 75 as he edged England seamer Jade Dernbach behind to Davies with Powell falling shortly after for 41 as Gareth Batty had him caught by Lewis at mid off leaving Kent on 183 for 5.

Geraint Jones and Ben Harmison were to see Kent through to 206 for 5 at tea and the pair were to add another 71 runs before the former was bowled by Linley for a fine 56, shouldering arms to a ball that seemed to keep low.

Harmison was to fall shortly after for 47 with Matt Coles (22) going the same way, caught Davies, bowled Jason Roy off the last ball of the day, walking after initially being given not out by the umpire.

The two sides will be back again at 11am on Wednesday with another day in the field just what’s called for with the new season just a few weeks away now. Entry for spectators is free.

Kent team: Key, Northeast, Bell-Drummond, Nash, Powell, Harmison, Jones, Tredwell, Coles, Davies, Haggett, Thomas.

Surrey team: Burns, Roy, Harinath, Solanki, Davies, Wilson, Batty, Lewis, Linley, Meaker, Dernbach, Keedy