Australia produced a dominant batting display on the first day of the Ashes tour opener against Kent at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence.

The world champions were 348-3 at stumps with vice-captain Steve Smith, the No.1 ranked Test batsman in the world, unbeaten on 71 and all-rounder Shane Watson on eight

The star for Kent was young quick Matt Hunn who took all three wickets to fall, that of openers Chris Rogers (84) and Shaun Marsh (114) and the big scalp, captain Michael Clarke (56).

Hunn, in what was only his the fourth first class game of his career, and his first of the season, finished with 3-78 off 21 overs.

But he and Kent had to wait until a long time after captain Sam Northeast won the toss and put the tourists in to make the initial breakthrough.

Rogers and Marsh shared an outstanding partnership of 181 and both were largely untroubled although Rogers did have a life when he was dropped by Adam Riley at second slip off Mitch Claydon when he was on 21 and the score 37.

Riley also dropped Rogers off his own bowling when he was on 83 before before Hunn struck for the first time, trapping Rogers leg before in the 51st over.

It was Rogers 185th first-class score of over 50 and it included 11 fours.

Marsh, who is going head-to-head with Rogers to be David Warner's opening partner in the first Test at Cardiff, staked his claim with his chanceless knock before becoming Hunn's second victim of the day courtesy of a stunning diving catch in the deep by Daniel Bell-Drummond.

Marsh, who hit 14 fours in his stay, and Smith shared a 61-run partnership before the Australian captain arrived at the crease.

And Clarke didn't disappoint, hitting eight fours in an elegant 56 before he was caught down the leg-side by wicket-keeper Sam Billings in the shadow of stumps with the score on 337.

Clarke and Smith put on 95 before they were separated by that man Hunn.

Watson came in and announced his arrival by smashing two fours while Smith, who played for Sevenoaks Vine in 2007, looked all class while hitting one six and five fours in his stay at the crease.

The Kent bowlers toiled long and hard and appear set to do it all again on Friday.