Matt Quinn took a Kent-best 6-23 as Kent put themselves in the driving seat during an extraordinary opening day of their LV= County Championship Division 1 clash on Tuesday.

Kent recovered from 32-5 to make 165 in their first innings before skittling out their hosts for just 57 in less than 17 overs.

The visitors then lost three wickets late in the day - including two nightwatchmen - but they still lead by 128, going into day two of a game that is vital to both teams for different reasons.

Kent need to pick up points to avoid relegation while Hampshire started the day hoping to win their final two games to give them a chance of a first County Championship title since 1973.

Quinn said: "That has been an eventful day on a very bowler-friendly wicket. We are in a great position despite losing a few wickets at the end of the day - even if they were sacrificial lambs.

"It was a hell of a partnership between [Ben] Compton and [Joey] Evison. It just shows how well Compton batted today on that surface. He has been phenomenal all year and we really needed him to stand up today. The way he batted showed how good he is.

"It was a wicket where if you put the ball in the right area then it does plenty. There was constant nip. On some wickets, you get the odd ball that nips but in this game it seemed to have five balls out of six which moved.

"I like to think I've bowled well all year and finally I have been rewarded. To get some wickets is a big relief.

"Bowling a side out for 57 is special and all the bowlers will be rejoicing after a tough season. We have been dreaming all year of knocking over a team like this all year.

"If we can get a 200-run lead, then it'll be a really good effort."

After being put into bat, Kent made a disastrous start. Injury ruled out Sam Billings, Matt Milnes, Darren Stevens and Grant Stewart, Jordan Cox is on England duty while Joe Denly was on paternity leave. Zak Crawley was also absent and opener Tawanda Muyeye lasted just five balls before shouldering arms to a Keith Barker delivery to fall leg before without score.

Mohammad Abbas found the edge of Daniel Bell-Drummond's bat for a second-ball duck and Kent were 1-2. Skipper Jack Leaning tried to stem the flow but the runs never came, he took 25 balls to get off the mark and had scored just a single from his first 39 balls faced. He eventually went for eight off 57 balls, bowled by the impressive Kyle Abbott.

The South African fast bowler - backed up by Ian Holland bowling six straight maidens at the other end - then got Ollie Robinson to play on for four and trapped Harry Finch plum in front for a golden duck.

At the other end, Compton's judgement of the off-stump line was brilliant. As is his way, he never looked flustered when runs were hard to come by - he was stuck on 18 for 36 deliveries - and didn't look like a batsman with six single figure scores in his last six Championship knocks.

Compton found good support from Joey Evison, who made 34 on his red-ball debut for the county, before falling lbw to Abbott (4-46), the duo taking Kent into three figures having come together at 32-5.

Harry Podmore then stuck around for 30 balls and Kent advanced to 145 before Barker (3-30) removed him for 12. That prompted the final four wickets to fall for 20 runs, including Compton, who made 63 off 161 balls - his first half-century in red-ball cricket since early June.

Hampshire’s first innings tally of 57 was the lowest first-class score at the Ageas Bowl and their worst total since 1984 - where they were bowled out for 56 against Kent at Canterbury in a set-up match.

Only three batsmen - including both openers - made double figures. Felix Organ (10) was caught at second slip off Podmore in the fifth over, Joe Weatherley unconvincingly chopped onto his own stumps without score and Nick Gubbins followed one that angled across him from Podmore (2-11).

Quinn had picked up Weatherley from the Rod Bransgrove Pavilion End but swapped to the Hilton End to remove James Vince for a third-ball duck and Holland (19) edged to first slip in the same over. Hampshire were 39-5.

That became 41-6 four balls later when Ben Brown was bowled by a Nathan Gilchrist (2-21) beauty, before the last four wickets fell for just three runs. Barker chipped to mid-off for 13 and Aneurin Donald played on for two. Quinn looked unplayable and took the last two wickets, Abbott caught at second slip and Abbas was bowled, to finish with six wickets in 6.5 overs.

Second time around, Kent's openers looked in control until Compton was caught at first slip for two off Abbas in the penultimate over of the day.

Two balls later, Conor McKerr was caught behind and Kent finished on 20-3 when Podmore lasted just three balls before he was bowled by Holland.