County Championship: Zak Crawley hits century as Kent dominate Notts

Zak Crawley went on to score 158 after being dropped while on two in the second over

England opener Zak Crawley hit a century as Kent dominated the opening day of their clash against Nottinghamshire at Canterbury.

The Ashes star cashed-in after being dropped when he was on two, making 158 from 153 balls, hitting three sixes, before he was caught and bowled by Calvin Harrison, who was Notts' most potent bowler with his 2-103.

Daniel Bell-Drummond was Kent's next highest scorer with 60, while Jack Leaning and Harry Finch were unbeaten on 54 and 42 respectively at stumps.

Kent were barely recognisable from the side that lost by 321 runs at Trent Bridge in July and gave debuts to spinners Yuzvendra Chahal, and Aron Nijjar, who has signed on-loan from Essex.

The major talking point, however, was the ongoing absence of club captain Sam Billings.

Billings had taken a break from red-ball cricket earlier in the season and although he was included in the squad, Leaning remained captain and Finch retained the gloves.

Nottinghamshire handed a debut to Sri Lanka's Asitha Fernando, just 24 hours after he had arrived in the UK, and he finished on 1-63.

It looked like a vital toss to win and after choosing to bat, Kent's openers put on 95 after Crawley had been put down by Dane Paterson at point in the second over.

Crawley punched his way past 50 when he straight-drove Paterson for four while Ben Compton, after one expansive early effort, ebbed his way to 18 before he was bowled trying to reverse sweep Harrison four minutes before lunch.

Crawley brought up his century off exactly 100 balls and reached 150 when he pulled Fernando for one through fine leg before Harrison clung on to a drive to remove him.

Bell-Drummond was out to the next delivery when he tried to hook Fernando and went to an acrobatic grab by wicketkeeper Tom Moores, but Tawanda Muyeye pulled the final ball of the afternoon session for six to leave the hosts on 260-3 at tea.

Muyeye and Leaning put on 59 for the next wicket, before the former went for 35, nicking to Harrison at slip.

Finch joined Leaning to earn Kent a third batting point and the skipper brought up his half-century when he flicked Mullaney to third man for four in the penultimate over.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.