Injury-hit Essex suffered a day of leather chasing as Kent recovered from an indifferent start to post an impressive first day total of 360 for six in this County Championship clash at St Lawrence.

A maiden championship century of the summer from Martin van Jaarsveld, coupled with 99 by Geraint Jones, helped Kent recover from the early loss of Rob Key (13) and Sam Northeast (25) to gain four batting bonus

points by the close.

Batting first after winning the toss, Kent lost Key - playing his first game after three weeks out with a fractured finger - in the eighth over when he pushed defensively to leg against Maurice Chambers only to see Jaik Mickleburgh claim a reflex catch at forward short leg.

By then, Essex all-rounder Ravi Bopara had already left the field with a back strain and he now seems unlikely to bowl at all in this game. To hinder the visitors even further, Chambers also joined him in the treatment room soon afterwards with a side strain that restricted him to eight overs all day.

Just before lunch Northeast mistimed an attempted drive to substitute fielder Grant Flower at long off then, three overs after the break, Joe Denly pushed hesitantly down the line of off stump, edging to keeper James Foster to give Essex debutant Bryce McGain a second scalp.

The 38-year-old leg spinner, who won just one Test cap for Australia, went on to save Essex from further punishment by taking the next two wickets to fall, albeit after a fourth-wicket stand of 176 in 41 overs between Van Jaarsveld and Jones.

South African Van Jaarsveld, suffering his poorest season with Kent since joining them five years ago, posted his first championship century of the summer from 148 balls and with 13 fours and a six.

He went for 106 when he underestimated McGain's wrist spin by miscuing an attempted lofted on-drive into the hands of David Masters at mid-off.

Having survived a strong appeal for a catch at the wicket with his score on 88, Jones should have joined Van Jaarsveld in reaching three figures but his 155-ball stay ended when he tamely chipped to mid-on to make it 330 for five and leave McGain with somewhat flattering figures of four for 135 from his 30 overs.

With two of their seamers undergoing treatment in the dressing room, Essex delayed taking the second new ball until the 90th over, allowing James Tredwell and Darren Stevens to take Kent's score on to 359 before losing their sixth wicket in the penultimate over of the day as the latter nicked to Tim Phillips at second slip to go for an attractive 34 from 65 balls.