Kent collapsed with six wickets falling for seven runs on the opening day against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens.

Daniel Bell-Drummond top-scored with 42 in a day dominated by bowlers, despite the much-disliked Kookaburra ball as 14 wickets fell on day one. Kent fell to 155 all out from 148 for 3 with Joe Denly retiring hurt, pulling a muscle playing a shot during his innings.

Timm van der Gugten and James Harris provided rewards for Glamorgan with 3 for 27 and 3 for 35 respectively with the older ball before Wes Agar demonstrated demolishing use of the new ball to rip into the hosts’ top order with 3 for 29, restricting Glamorgan to 125 for 4.

Despite the often favoured position to keep the opposition in the field for as long as possible during rounds using the Kookaburra ball, Glamorgan opted to field first under overcast skies.

Ben Compton and Jadyn Denly dealt nearly exclusively in boundaries for their 37 before Fernando struck – the division’s top run-scorer, Ben Compton, caught behind – a first wicket on the Sri Lankan’s return to Glamorgan for a second spell this season.

Starts and falling cheaply continued to be the frustration for Kent. Denly dispatched loose Harris deliveries on his introduction into the attack before slapping another to cover.

The positive start continued with an effectively 61-run third-wicket partnership (via the injury of Joe Denly). The all-action all-rounder Ben Kellaway found a way through Chris Benjamin, adjudged lbw.

From 111 for 2 at lunch and Bell-Drummond reaching 24 in minimal time thanks to four consecutive boundaries off Ned Leonard, the approach was forced to change by Kent with the hosts tightening their bowling.

Glamorgan’s resurrected efforts with the ball started the monumental collapse with Joey Evison unable to find comfort in the period of conservative batting, flashing at a wide delivery to give van der Gugten his first wicket of a six over spell, conceding just two runs.

It wasn’t long later, Kent were getting their whites on to take the field. Bell-Drummond next to be adjudged lbw off an in-swinger from Harris. Two in two balls came for van der Gugten, before Zain Ul Hassan and James Harris finished the job to leave the number eight Stewart stranded, Joe Denly unable to return.

With an opportunity in the 42-over final session to close in on a lead before the end of day one, Glamorgan quickly learnt that the task to overtake 155 wasn’t as easy as first thought.

Asa Tribe looked troubled from the off before he inevitably chopped on to get Kent underway through Agar. Ul Hassan was more dogged in his approach, as has been method for the originally makeshift, now first-choice opener for Glamorgan who stuck around to see dismissals of Carlson and Root before perishing himself.

Carlson appeared to be on a hangover from the Vitality Blast, intensely running and latching upon boundaries for his 27 before loosely driving to his downfall, caught behind. Billy Root in for a seasonal debut, never settled.

On the day 40-year-old Colin Ingram was announced to have a first coaching role, the veteran was still showcasing his playing abilities, taking a four and six from the same Evison over. The South African and Kellaway remained unscathed despite periods of concern and grit, including Ingram dropped on 27 late in the day, closing out the long session with a much-needed unbeaten partnership worth 47.

Glamorgan assistant coach David Harrison:

“The pitch is a bit slower than we thought, it’s the pitch we played on against Leicestershire in the first game with quite a bit of carry and bounce, but maybe the Kookaburra ball has changed that a little bit so it was quite slow and hard to score if you bowled well.

“They won the first session but the way we came out after lunch as a bowling group to build pressure was superb, with a bit of reverse swing to make it an unbelievable session.

“The partnership between Colin and Ben soaked up a bit of pressure, so if we can start well (on day two) we can try to push on for a big first innings lead.”

Kent director of cricket Simon Cook:

“It’s been an interesting day and an interesting pitch, at the start of the day we didn’t know how it was going to play. It was patchy and cracked with a bit of movement in the plates so we would have had a bowl if we’d won the toss.

“We fought well with the bat before that unfortunate collapse, but the way the guys fought (with the ball) in that last long session was really good.

“If we’d taken a chance to get Ingram we’d have been really happy, Ingram is the key batter so if we can get him early we’ll be well in the game.

“Wes has been doing a lot of work on technical stuff to get his zip back, and that’s the quickest I’ve seen him bowl for a long time.”

Picture supplied by Huw Evans Picture Agency.