MATT DENNINGTON removed Tony Cottey in dubious circumstances to give Kent a welcome boost towards the end of the morning session.

Kent took a wicket in the third over of the day, but Sussex and Richard Montgomerie in particular set out their stall to bat out a Cricket Week draw in Canterbury.

Rob Joseph continued to impress on his home championship debut by trapping Ian Ward leg before with an in-swinger to make it 22 for one.

But then Montgomerie and Tony Cottey, with 49 from 77 balls, dug in against Kent’s injury-hit and inexperienced attack to reach 135 for two at lunch.

Having given Cottey a life on 42, he was dropped by substitute fielder Joe Denly at short third-man off a top-edged cut against Min Patel, the hosts finally got their man seven runs later.

Driving at a Matt Dennington away swinger, Cottey appeared to edge the ball into the ground only to be given caught behind.

Kent will be without paceman Amjad Khan for the remainder of the match after he picked up an ankle strain in attempting to take a catch on day three.

Coupled with the fact that Min Patel is hampered by a slight calf strain, the draw still appears the most likely result.