County Championship: Kent's Zak Crawley hits 111 against Nottinghamshire

Zak Crawley finished nine runs short of his career best, hitting 15 fours in 284 minutes at the crease

Zak Crawley's spirited 111 helped Kent recover from a top-order collapse on day one of their match against Nottinghamshire at Tunbridge Wells.

Australian paceman James Pattinson (6-73) helped reduce the hosts to 119-6 before a stoic 100-run partnership.

Supported by Grant Stewart (59), Crawley led Kent to 236-8 before tea.

Once Crawley had gone, a last-wicket stand of 55 between Harry Podmore (49 no) and Matt Milnes took Kent to 309 all out before Notts closed on 30-0.

Crawley, 21, drove Kent's innings with a considered 157-ball century after Kent were reduced to 100-5 before lunch.

Nottinghamshire, still chasing their first victory of the season, bowled superbly in the morning as Pattinson and Luke Fletcher (2-77), swept through the top order.

But the hosts responded, dominating the day's middle sessions, before Pattinson took the wickets of Stewart after lunch and Ollie Rayner for a golden duck to stifle Kent's progress.

The 29-year-old then bowled Crawley for his seventh wicket of the day, the batsman going nine short of his career-best.

The 10th-wicket stand helped Kent over the 300-run mark, Podmore was left stranded one short of his half-century as number 11 Milnes (13) was caught by Ben Duckett off the bowling of Jake Ball (2-59).

And Nottinghamshire's Duckett (17 not out), alongside Ben Slater (13 not out), saw off the last 10 overs to leave the visitors trailing by 279.