Big-hitting Surrey leave Kent needing early breakthrough after day one of LV= Insurance County Championship Division 1 match at Beckenham

Kent will be hoping for quick wickets on day two against Surrey after yet more toiling in the field.

Matt Walker's side have conceded at least 500 runs in every first innings of the LV= Insurance County Championship so far this season, and the visitors will resume on 318-4 after winning the toss at Beckenham.

Oliie Pope hit 96 in a stand of 178 with Ben Foakes, who was unbeaten on 86, while opener Ryan Patel made 76, but Kent bowling coach Simon Cook insists an early breakthrough when play resumes can change the complexion of the match.

He said: “Losing the toss here is never a good thing, so from that point of view it was obviously a little bit of a disappointing start to the day.

"We controlled the run rate, and we’d have liked to have bowled better in the first session in particular, but how the boys came back, in that session in particular when we got 3-23 and got a reward for hitting good lengths more consistently kind of dragged us back into it.

“If we were two more wickets on we’d be very, very happy with the day. When you look at this ground you need 450 or 550 and that comes with a bit of pressure as well, so that’s what we have to keep reminding the Surrey batters.

"They’ve not got away from us yet and two or three quick wickets tomorrow and we’re right in this game.”

Kent had reduced Surrey to 123-3 shortly after lunch, but despite 2-73 from Nathan Gilchrist, the hosts laboured for most of the day.

Backed by a sizable number of travelling fans, Surrey won the toss and chose to bat, to a collective groan from the home fanbase, demoralised after conceding 500 runs or more in every first innings so far this season.

Their initial pessimism proved well-grounded as openers Rory Burns and Patel were almost entirely