PAKISTAN connections from Kent and Sussex fought a fascinating cricketing duel on day one of this LV Championship clash in Canterbury with honours finishing just about even.

Having made their customary poor start, Kent recovered to reach 368 all out on a sporting pitch courtesy of centuries from Matthew Walker and new overseas all-rounder Yasir Arafat on his St Lawrence bow, leaving Sussex to bat 20 minutes through to stumps in posting 19 for two.

Walker, who boasts a career average of 42 against the south coast side, posted his third century against the visitors to help dig Kent out of a hole after they were reduced to 66 for four in the opening session.

Having won the toss and batted, skipper Rob Key's run of poor scores continued when he became Kent's first casualty in the eighth over of the day. The right-hander, who went into this game with previous scores of six, nought and nought, had reached five when a loose drive outside the off stump against Rana Naved found a thick edge and flew low to James Kirtley at third slip.

His opening partner Joe Denly looked in good shape in moving to 24 but he then shuffled across his stumps to a Naved off-cutter to go leg before and make it 38 for two.

Martin van Jaarsveld, another Kent player to have made a sticky start to the campaign, again looked uneasy against the seaming ball and soon perished for six. Seemingly in two minds whether to leave the ball alone against Robin Martin-Jenkins, the South African only succeeded in dragging the ball onto middle stump.

Matt Walker and Darren Stevens took the hosts beyond 50 before Kent lost their fourth wicket of the session.

Stevens cracked a powerful straight boundary against Martin-Jenkins to move to nine but, two balls later, he followed one that lifted and left down the slope to edge to keeper Matt Prior.

That brought together Walker and Geraint Jones, another Kent batsman in need of runs.

Saddled by theory in recent weeks, Jones clearly took the 'back to basics' approach this time around and went for his shots almost from ball one.

He took 14 from one Kirtley over from the Nackington Road End, including an extraordinary six clobbered over cover but, soon after lunch and just one short of his half-century, Jones went leg before to Naved after a 61-ball stay.

Soon afterwards Naved had to be helped off the ground after he appeared to strain stomach muscles when trying to take a low return catch off Walker.

The influential Sussex bowler remained in the dressing room having ice and massage treatment thereafter, but his continued absence from the game allowed Walker and Arafat, batting against his former county to make hay.

The sixth wicket partners added 148 in 33 overs with Walker posting the county's first championship century of the summer from 182 balls and with 14 fours.

He reached the landmark with a swept boundary against Mushtaq Ahmed but, two deliveries later, the Pakistan wrist spinner had his revenge when Walker, in attempting a run down to third man, dragged the ball on to his leg stump.

Arafat, playing his first four-day game at St Lawrence, joined Walker in three figures with a majestic 139-ball ton - only the second of his career - which included 15 fours and a six.

His previous best in county cricket had been 86 on his Sussex debut last season against Yorkshire at Arundel, but Arafat also eclipsed his previous best in first-class cricket of 100 in January 2004 for Khan Research Laboratories against Patrons Trophy rivals Defence Housing Authority in Karachi.

Arafat and Kolpak signing Ryan McLaren added a further 35 before McLaren (12) ran himself out having called for a reckless single to substitute fielder Saqlain Mushtaq at mid-on.

James Tredwell went without scoring, edging to Prior against Martin-Jenkins and Arafat soon followed when, in attempting to withdraw the bat against Martin-Jenkins, he simply steered a catch off the face of the bat to Chris Adams at second slip.

Last man Robbie Joseph went leg before to the same bowling, giving Martin-Jenkins an impressive return of five for 67 as Kent fell 32 short of maximum batting bonus points.

In the five overs through to the close Sussex firstly lost Richard Montgomerie, who hit 175 against Kent in the season's opener in Hove, for a six-ball duck when the right-hander edged an attempted pull off Arafat to Walker at first slip.

Then, in Arafat's next over, he removed the off and middle stumps of night watchman James Kirtley as he played too late in defence.

SCORECARD

Kent first innings

J L Denly lbw b Rana Naved 24
R W T Key c Kirtley b Rana Naved 5
M van Jaarsveld b Martin-Jenkins 6
M J Walker b Mushtaq Ahmed 103
D I Stevens c Prior b Martin-Jenkins 9
G O Jones lbw b Rana Naved 49
Yasir Arafat not out 0
R McLaren run out (Sub Saqlain) 12
J C Tredwell c Prior b Martin-Jenkins 0
S J Cook not out 14
R H Joseph lbw b Martin-Jenkins 4
Extras 20

Total 368 all out after 96.3 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-21, 2-38, 3-46, 4-66, 5-140, 6-288, 7-323, 8-339, 9-362.

Bowling: Lewry 20-4-53-0, Rana Naved 12-1-44-3, Martin-Jenkins 23.3-4-67-5, Kirtley 16-2-78-0, Mushtaq Ahmed 25-2-117-1.

Sussex first innings

C D Hopkinson not out 4
R R Montgomerie c Walker b Arafat 0
R J Kirtley b Arafat 0
C D Nash not out 2

Extras 13

Total 19 for two after five overs

Fall of wicket: 1-17, 2-17,

Bowling: Joseph 3-2-9-0, Arafat 2-0-6-2.