Bottom side Kent were skittled out for just 95 on the opening day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match with Hampshire at Canterbury on Thursday.

Put into bat, Sam Billings’ side lost two early wickets but appeared to have recovered at 52-2 but they lost two quick wickets before a lengthy rain delay.

Once play resumed, Kent reached 94-6 and then lost their last four wickets for just one run.

To rub salt into their wounds, Kent failed to take a wicket in the 22 overs that Hampshire faced, the visitors reaching 89 without loss to finish the day just six runs in arrears.

Hampshire removed Ben Compton for a nine ball duck in the third over of the day, edging Mohammad Abbas to Joe Weatherley in the slips, and Zak Crawley made just seven before he was lbw to Keith Barker, for his 500th first-class wicket as Kent slipped to 12-2.

Tawanda Muyeye, back in the side after a scoring a glut of runs for the 2nds, looked more at home, but after a typically attractive 28 he was – perhaps harshly – given out lbw to James Fuller (5-21).

Billings – playing as a batsman with Jordan Cox taking the gloves – faced just eight balls to make two before he went, with the players immediately going off for rain.

Play resumed just before 4pm, and while conditions had improved, batting didn’t appear any easier. Cox scratched out 12 before Fuller had him caught behind and Joey Evison was the second of four ducks in the Kent line-up, leaving a Fuller delivery that clipped the top of his off stump.

Jack Leaning at least offered some resistance, hanging around for 96 balls until Kyle Abbott (3-23) had him caught by Liam Dawson at second slip for 24, but when he went the tail was wiped out.

Grant Stewart became Fuller’s fifth victim when he was caught behind for 14 and Hamid Qadri was out for a five-ball duck, driving Abbott to Barker at mid-on.

A dismal innings concluded when Wes Agar was caught by Ben Brown off Abbott without score.

Kent’s joyless day was encapsulated when Weatherley (38 not out) nicked Agar behind when he was on 29 and Cox failed to hang on to a routine chance. Fletcha Middleton will resume unbeaten on 39 in the morning.

Kent batting coach Alex Gidman said; “Clearly it’s been a disappointing first day from our perspective. We played some good cricket here in the first two games here and it’s disappointing to have started the game as we have done so far.

“I think they put us under a lot of pressure early and bowled very accurately. Today we didn’t quite have the skill set to counter it. It wasn’t through a lack of effort or trying, it just wasn’t to be today and I’m sure the guys will be doing their utmost to learn from today and react in the second innings.

“It certainly nipped around early on and the Hampshire bowlers got everything they could out of the wicket. They bowled particularly well and perhaps the heavy roller and the sunlight this evening made a difference, but again it wasn’t through a lack of effort, we just didn’t quite get the same out of it perhaps. It just wasn’t quite our day today.

“Tawanda has been literally smashing the door down, his form in the second XI has been amazing with three hundreds and a 90 so he thoroughly deserves his place in the team. I thought he looked very comfortable and was well worth the runs he got. I’m delighted for him and certainly the way he slotted in was a real positive.”