KENT’S unlikely all-rounder Darren Stevens grabbed three wickets in 13 balls on a dramatic opening day in Canterbury as the hosts closed on 53 for two in reply to Lancashire’s 266 all out.

Military medium at best, right-armed Stevens sent down three successive wicket maidens just before lunch to derail a promising start to the visitors’ first innings.

Seemingly set fair at 55 without loss, Lancashire then lost four wickets for one run in the space of 31 balls as Kent’s seamers took advantage of some late morning cloud cover.

Lancashire re-grouped during the afternoon with contrasting half-centuries from Steven Croft (65) and Sajid Mahmood (60), but Stevens’ haul of three for 33, coupled with two wickets apiece for Simon Cook, Matt Coles and Amjad Khan ensured Kent were batting by 5pm.

Having been offered a life at second when on nought, Kent captain Rob Key reached eight from 29 balls when his leaden-footed waft flew to Tom Smith at second slip.

Then, just before stumps, Sam Northeast’s painful season continued when he walked across his stumps against Glenn Chapple to go lbw for a fourth-ball duck leaving Kent to go into the second day trailing by 213.

Having won the toss in bright conditions Lancashire appeared in little trouble as openers Paul Horton and Smith posted 50 in 18 overs.

Having elected to drop their overseas wrist spinner Malinga Bandara in favour of an extra pace bowler, Kent were struggling for an opening until occasional seamer Stevens came up trumps.

Lancashire were in real danger of missing out on batting bonus points until Croft, with a 71-ball half-century, and Mahmood’s more belligerent 44-ball effort, brought the visitors back into it.

Mahmood clattered three successive boundaries off Tredwell and went on to take three sixes off the England off-spinner as he and Croft added 62 for the eighth wicket.