Surrey stalwart Jonathan Batty missed out on his maiden first-class century of the summer by four runs as the Brown Caps' batsmen dominated a dour first day at Canterbury.

The 35-year-old wicketkeeper and Surrey beneficiary occupied the crease for four-and-a-half hours and 237 balls as Surrey posted a painstaking 261 for four against LV Division Two leaders Kent.

Batting first after Surrey captain Stewart Walters won the toss just before the noon start, Batty joined forces with opening partner Michael Brown (88) to put on 171 for the first wicket.

Kent's attack lacked the likes of Wayne Parnell, Robbie Joseph, Ryan McLaren, Martin Saggers and Azhar Mahmood - but Surrey's top six batsmen all played within themselves, managing less than three an over on a docile pitch.

The visitors crawled to 73 without loss at lunch, and both openers continued after the break to reach stoic half-centuries - Batty's from 124 balls and Brown's from 139 balls.

Kent finally made their first breakthrough at 4.30pm when Brown, fencing at a lifting ball from Amjad Khan, edged to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.

Three balls later Khan, bending his back again, had Walters pushing outside off at another steepling delivery that found a thick edge to be well held by Darren Stevens in the gully.

Third-wicket partners Batty and Mark Ramprakash added a further 60 before the opener pushed down the line of off-stump to rookie Kent seamer Phil Edwards and was caught behind.

Edwards, a product of the Kent Academy, struck again six balls later when he had Usman Afzaal caught low down by a diving Jones to make it 239 for four.

But ominously for Kent, Ramprakash made it through to stumps unbeaten on 41.