CENTURIES from Matt Walker and Neil Dexter made up for the shock, second-over loss of captain Rob Key as Kent dominated the opening day of their three-day friendly against Cardiff University Centre of Cricketing Excellence in Canterbury.

Despite scoring a one-day ton at The Oval last Sunday, Key's plans for extended batting practice against the Welsh students came unstuck after only four balls when the former England bat wafted at a ball from left-arm seamer Matthew Wood to be caught at first slip by Ridian Harries.

The hosts re-built through young right-handers Dexter and Joe Denly who shared 132 for the second wicket before Denly (70) clipped a Morgan Rushbrook full-toss down the throat of Karl Tudge at deep square-leg.

Dexter, the 22-year-old South African-born player, moved to three figures with a cover-driven boundary against Wood, the 15th of his 174-ball ton as he and Walker posted 102 for the third wicket before Dexter lost his leg stump slogging against Wood to go for 118 after 200 minutes at the crease.

As the students tired, so Walker and Darren Stevens cashed in to bolster the Kent's boundary count with an array of fours all around the ground.

Walker hit 15 fours and then a straight six off against off-spinner Richard Kaufman that took the left-hander to three figures from the last ball before lunch.

Walker (105) was dismissed soon after, but Stevens cashed in on some undisciplined bowling to race to 87 from 67 balls before he chipped a ball tamely to mid-wicket.

New Kolpak signing Ryan McLaren (3) soon holed out, but Geraint Jones made the most of 67 minutes in the middle to reach 36 not out before Key declared just before 6pm with his side on 443 for six after 95 overs.

The students had little trouble in surviving through to stumps against Kent's new ball attack of McLaren, Martin Saggers and Robbie Joseph, indeed the latter hardly made the Welsh openers play with a succession of deliveries wide outside the off stump as Cardiff went in at stumps on 29 without loss after nine overs.

The game resumes on Thursday at 11am and admission is free.