County Championship: Kent frustrated by Josh Bohannon's ton for Lancashire

Josh Bohannon hit two sixes in his score of 113

Relegation-threatened Kent endured a frustrating opening day as Lancashire recovered from 18-3 and 240-8 to reach 327 all out at stumps.

Josh Bohannon scored 113 and put on a crucial 121 for the fifth wicket with George Balderson, who made 54.

Matthew Hurst also cashed-in after being dropped on seven to finish unbeaten on 76.

Kent at least took the full complement of bowling bonus points, with Matt Quinn and Aron Nijjar both claiming three wickets, and Yuzvendra Chahal taking the final Lancashire wicket of Jack Morley with the last ball of the day.

The spectre of relegation has loomed over Kent for most of the season and the equation going into the final game was simple.

A single point ahead of Middlesex at the start of play and having just two victories to Middlesex's three, they will go down if the teams finish level.

Lancashire, who have a theoretical chance of finishing in the top three, won the toss and chose to bat, to the relief of home fans awaiting reinforcement in the form of Zak Crawley, on England duty but eligible to play from Wednesday.

Kent's all-seam attack had struggled to make any impact in the draw with Somerset, but the hosts were boosted by the return of Quinn and Nathan Gilchrist from injury and both made an early impact as the openers went cheaply.

Quinn struck in the fourth over, having Keaton Jennings caught by a sprinting Ben Compton at leg gully for four.

Gilchrist then had Luke Wells caught behind for five and home hopes surged when wicketkeeper Harry Finch, selected ahead of club captain Sam Billings, took a superb diving catch as Steven Croft edged Quinn down the leg side.

However, their optimism was short-lived as Lancashire responded with a stand of 78 between Bohannon and George Bell, who looked fluent for 40 before Quinn had him caught behind.

Bohannon reached 50 when he took two from Nijjar in the final over before lunch, at which point it was 106-4.

Lancashire seized the momentum in the afternoon with Bohannon hitting Joey Evison for four through cow corner to bring up his 10th first-class century.

By the time he was stumped trying to charge Jack Leaning, Lancashire were 217-5 and Balderson was set, taking a single from Leaning to bring up his half-century.

It was 231-5 at tea, but Balderson failed to add to his score, caught at short leg by Compton off Chahal.

Tom Bailey made a seven-ball duck, hitting Nijjar straight to Gilchrist at extra cover, while Hurst was on seven when he edged Nijjar to first slip and was dropped by Leaning.

Nijjar did not have to wait long for his second wicket as Jack Blatherwick tried to slog him and was caught by a back-pedalling Daniel Bell-Drummond at long off, but Hurst then led a counter-attack that exasperated the hosts.

He hit Chahal for six and had moved to 44 by the time he skied Quinn and Evison could not quite haul him in.

A scampered single from Quinn took him to 50 and with Will Williams he saw off the new ball, steering his side past the 300 mark.

Nijjar had Williams lbw for 11 and the day at least ended on a high note for Kent when, with the last ball, Chahal bowled Jack Morley for two.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.