Kent make most of depleted Somerset attack

In-form Kent took advantage of excellent batting conditions and Richard Johnson's shock call into England's Trent Bridge Test squad to run up 381 for four on the opening day of this CricInfo Championship match in Canterbury.

The 26-year-old Somerset seamer was summoned just after lunch as cover for the injured Chris Silverwood having sent down just eight overs in the match.

Already without the services of Andrew Caddick, Johnson's departure at 2.30pm left Somerset another seamer light on what is a superb St Lawrence wicket.

Not surprisingly David Fulton cashed in; the first man to 1,000 runs this season, the Kent opener finished unbeaten on 160 which represents his fifth Championship century this summer and his sixth in all first-class cricket.

The right-hander featured in an opening stand of 91 with Rob Key, who also reached four-figures for the season before he went for a suicidal single with his score on 50.

Key was later rewarded with his county cap in a presentation by Kent patron, HRH the Duke of Kent, as was Ed Smith whose contribution amounted to eight before he hooked into the hands of square-leg.

Fulton teamed up with Australian international Andrew Symonds to add a further 90 for the third wicket before the Queenslander played fatally across the line, having hit 56 from 70 balls.

Not to be outdone, left-hander Matthew Walker joined in the run spree with a fluent 81 as his contribution to a fourth-wicket partnership that added 175 in 57 overs.

The pair looked like seeing Kent through to stumps until Walker drove back a low return catch to spinner Keith Dutch two overs from the close and in the time added on for the Duke's tea-time presentations.