Kent (95) lead Hampshire (89-0) by six runs after day one of County Championship Division 1 game at Canterbury

Bottom side Kent were skittled out for just 95 on the opening day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match with Hampshire at Canterbury on Thursday.

Put into bat, Sam Billings’ side lost two early wickets but appeared to have recovered at 52-2 but they lost two quick wickets before a lengthy rain delay.

Once play resumed, Kent reached 94-6 and then lost their last four wickets for just one run.

To rub salt into their wounds, Kent failed to take a wicket in the 22 overs that Hampshire faced, the visitors reaching 89 without loss to finish the day just six runs in arrears.

Hampshire removed Ben Compton for a nine ball duck in the third over of the day, edging Mohammad Abbas to Joe Weatherley in the slips, and Zak Crawley made just seven before he was lbw to Keith Barker, for his 500th first-class wicket as Kent slipped to 12-2.

Tawanda Muyeye, back in the side after a scoring a glut of runs for the 2nds, looked more at home, but after a typically attractive 28 he was – perhaps harshly – given out lbw to James Fuller (5-21).

Billings – playing as a batsman with Jordan Cox taking the gloves – faced just eight balls to make two before he went, with the players immediately going off for rain.

Play resumed just before 4pm, and while conditions had improved, batting didn’t appear any easier. Cox scratched out 12 before Fuller had him caught behind and Joey Evison was the second of four ducks in the Kent line-up, leaving a Fuller delivery that clipped the top of his off stump.

Jack Leaning at least offered some resistance, hanging around for 96 balls until Kyle Abbott (3-23) had him caught by Liam Dawson at second slip for 24, but when he went the tail was wiped out.

Grant Stewart became Fuller’s fifth victim when he was