Three Northants players hit centuries against Kent

Ricardo Vasconcelos has been with Northamptonshire since 2018 [Getty Images] Rothesay County Championship, Division Two, St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury (day one) Northamptonshire: 409-1 (91. 1 overs) Kent: Yet to bat Kent 0, Northants 4 Match scorecard Northamptonshire's top three batters all hit centuries as they battered Kent on day one their County Championship Division Two match at Canterbury, posting 409-1. Openers Ricardo Vasconcelos and Luke Procter hit 127 and 131 not out respectively, as part of a record-breaking stand of 224 for the visitors against Kent - and when the partnership was finally broken, Calvin Harrison blazed an unbeaten 124.

Jas Singh was the only Kent bowler to take a wicket, recording figures of 1-95 before bad light stopped play in front of a crowd of 1,005. Northamptonshire had posted 722-6 at the St Lawrence last year, the highest-ever score by any side against Kent and, with this and several other chastenings in mind, the hosts were reportedly preparing more bowler-friendly surfaces this year. However, Northants chose to bat and Vasconcelos set the tone by flicking the final ball of Matt Milnes' opening over for six.

The visitors coasted to 124-0 at lunch and Vasconcelos cracked the first ball of the afternoon, from Keith Dudgeon, through backward point for four. Vasconcelos completed his 12th first-class century when he hit Singh for four through mid-wicket and the openers eclipsed Northants' previous record for the first wicket against Kent, the 199 set by Alexander Snowden and Fred Bakewell at Dover in 1934. Singh eventually got Vasconcelos caught behind, but Procter reached three figures when he hit Jaydn Denly over mid-on for four.

It was 299-1 at tea and Northants continued to dominate during the evening session. Harrison brought up his century when he glanced Milnes to the fine leg boundary and the only real hint of a chance came when Tawanda Muyeye missed a difficult return catch when Procter was on 120. The players went off for what was deemed bad light with 4.