Relegation-bound Kent were dominated by Warwickshire as they were bowled out for 156 on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship Division 1 match at Edgbaston on Thursday.
Having collected just nine batting points from 10 games, Kent’s disappointing innings was completed in 39.5 overs before the home side eased past them to reach 207-3 at the close.
Michael Booth (3-13), Olly Hannon-Dalby (3-31) and Chris Rushworth (3-43) dismantled a Kent batting order, in which only Ben Compton and Joey Evison reached double figures.
Warwickshire completed their day by moving 51 runs ahead with seven wickets intact, Will Rhodes compiling a measured unbeaten 82 to build a perfect platform for a belated first Championship win of the season for them.
Compton said: “The scoreboard reflects the day quite accurately. We found ourselves in trouble early and lost wickets regularly.
“Credit to them, they put the ball in the right place. Kookaburra ball or not, if you do that, you can get an edge or take wickets.
“It’s always nice to contribute to the team and I really enjoyed getting stuck in and trying to get us to some sort of a total when our backs were against the wall.
“Unfortunately, it was pretty much one-way traffic. We need to have a big day tomorrow to try and claw ourselves back.
“All we can do is give it our best.”
The home side chose to wield the Kookaburra ball first and took just four balls to strike with it.
Tawanda Muyeye – fresh from 211 at Worcestershire last week – sliced the first ball from Hannon-Dalby to the third-man boundary and edged the fourth, a perfectly-pitched outswinger, to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.
Muyeye copped an unplayable delivery but captain Daniel Bell-Drummond was culpable five overs later when he edged Rushworth to third slip and, when Jack Leaning edged Hannon-Dalby to first slip, Kent fell to 44-3.
Compton and Evison added 57 in 13 overs before Evison was dismissed just before lunch.
Evison edged Ed Barnard (1-21) to Burgess and Booth took three wickets in 11 balls to reach career-best figures. Harry Finch and Charlie Stobo edged to Burgess, and Grant Stewart miscued to point.
Compton reached a defiant half-century from 74 balls but lost an eighth partner when Matt Parkinson edged Rushworth behind and a ninth when Alfie Ogborne sliced Hannon-Dalby low to second slip.
Compton was in sight of carrying his bat until he pulled Hannon-Dalby to square leg, which earned the bowler his 500th wicket in all formats for Warwickshire.
Warwickshire started well with the bat as openers Rob Yates and Alex Davies added 62 in 11 overs.
Somerset loanee Ogborne (2-56) trapped Davies lbw and Yates edged old Warwickshire team-mate George Garrett (1-63) behind but Rhodes and Hain added a confident 94 in 30 overs. Hain played on to the impressively persevering Ogborne but Rhodes is within 18 runs of his 11th first-class century.
For Kent, it was another terrible day with the bat and Warwickshire are in control of the match, which will likely see them avoid relegation if they are to go on and win the match.
