KENT’S pace attack gave their batsmen valuable support by claiming four Sussex wickets in the opening 20 overs of their Canterbury Week reply.

Having seen Kent post a season’s best total of 527, Sussex slid to 92 for four as youngsters Amjad Khan, Robbie Joseph bagged a wicket apiece and Matt Dennington two.

Khan started the ball rolling when he uprooted Ian Ward’s leg and middle stumps to make it 32 for one with Ward on 20.

Joseph then had Tony Cottey, who scored 185 against Kent barely a fortnight ago, caught behind without scoring as the Welshman chased an out-swinger.

Zimbabwean Murray Goodwin looked at ease in reaching 28 from 26 balls, but he then flat-batted a Dennington long-hop into the hands of Michael Bevan at deep point to give the South African-born all-rounder a wicket with his fourth ball.

The rout continued when Chris Adams drove at an out-swinger to give Niall O’Brien his second catch of the innings.