KENT’S first venture into Kolpak 'overseas' signings brought immediate reward when South African Martin van Jaarsveld scored a hundred on club championship debut in Canterbury on Wednesday.

The gangly 30-year-old right-hander from Klerksdorp became the county’s first player since Derek Aslett in 1981 to hit a century in the first innings of a championship bow as Kent made much of the first day running before a late, Ashley Giles inspired fight back from champions Warwickshire.

Aslett ended up with an unbeaten 146 against Hampshire in Bournemouth 24 summers ago but van Jaarsveld fell short of surpassing the record as Kent reached 342 for nine at stumps on the opening day of their Frizzell Championship campaign.

The former Northamptonshire and Northern Transvaal batsman perished 20 minutes before the interval having reached 118 for his 21st first-class century.

He offered just one chance on the way, a flashing edge to Jonathan Trott at second slip off the bowling of Nick Warren, but otherwise van Jaarsveld remained poised, polished and utterly professional.

"It’s always nice to get a good score under your belt early season and in terms of a debut it is a dream come true," said van Jaarsveld after his four-hour stay.

"Stepping over the rope to go out to bat today I felt in pretty decent form and a lot of the credit for that must go to Simon Willis and Graham Ford.

"They’ve spent some serious hours with me during pre-season giving me throw downs in the nets day after day.

"An important part of my preparation was to get here earlier than I did at Northamptonshire last year to make sure I was right for this season because it does take time to adjust to the wickets over here."

There was a certain irony in his reaching three figures off the bowling of Kent deserter Alex Loudon, whose off-spinners were thumped over long-on for four and then clipped through mid-wicket for a brisk single that raised the ton.

After the loss of Rob Key (4) in the third over of the day from a nigh-on unplayable Heath Streak away-swinger, van Jaarsveld featured in a 133 second-wicket stand with skipper David Fulton (53) in 36 overs.

Fulton went caught behind after lunch when following a turning delivery from Ashley Giles, then vice-captain Matt Walker’s impulsive sweep saw him hole out to the same bowler.

Van Jaarsveld and fellow debutant Darren Stevens then combined to add 96 in 23 overs for the fourth wicket before Giles bagged his third wicket of the session.

Attempting a late, back-foot force van Jaarsveld chopped onto his leg stump to make it 238 for four and leave Giles with figures of three for 55 from the mid-session.

Geraint Jones (32) and Simon Cook (1) both fell to the wiles of Giles after tea as the left-arm spinner marked a rare championship appearance – only his 15th since the end of 2000 – with a deserved five for 82 haul.

Matt Dennington (1) perished to an airy drive but, on a day for debuts, Kent’s other close-season signing Darren Stevens prevailed.

The former Leicestershire batter gave a half-chance to mid-wicket when on 36, but went on to hit 88 in his first St Lawrence innings.

Full of powerful bottom-handed shots reminiscent to Graham Cowdrey in his pomp, Stevens immediately made an impact with the Canterbury faithful by hitting 88 from 171 balls with 13 fours and a six.

He looked certain to hit a century until Kent’s late collapse and the run out of Min Patel (10) left no option but to slog, a decision that allowed Dougie Brown to hit as Stevens missed.