Kent captain Heino Kuhn admitted it was a tough day as Sussex took charge of their County Championship clash at Canterbury on Tuesday.

The visitors closed the third day on 277-3, a lead of 293 against a much-changed Kent side.

Kuhn said: "It was a tough day, out on the park, I thought the guys did very well.

"It’s a young bowling attack, there are some new guys in the team and I thought we stuck to it very nicely.

"They batted very well and played to their strengths, but we got some wickets at the end so we’re happy.

"I asked them to do a job and they did it pretty well. Obviously being new every now and again they get it wrong, but we’re only human and all in all I thought they did a very good job.

"Hamid loves his batting and has got a very good technique. To get us only 16 behind was a great effort.

"The pitch looks like a good pitch to bat on, it keeps you humble, it still does a bit.

"I think at the moment they’re a little bit ahead but if we get some wickets tomorrow and restrict them I’m sure we can chase it down.”

Ali Orr’s maiden first-class century was the stand-out knock of the day, his 119 included 19 fours.

Orr’s opening partner Tom Haines was out for 94 just before stumps to Matt Quinn, who took 2-88.

Earlier Jamie Atkins took career-best figures of 5-51 as Kent were dismissed for 165, Hamid Qadri finishing on 30 not out, his highest first-class score.

Kent began day three on 122-7 and lost Bailey Wightman in the first over when he was bowled by Atkins, but Quinn hung around for 38 minutes, providing useful support to Qadri, before he was caught behind off Ollie Robinson for 11.

By the time Jas Singh was lbw to Hunt for two, Sussex’s lead had been cut to just 16, but Orr and Haines steered the visitors to 53-0 at lunch and batted through the afternoon session.

Kent never really looked like taking a wicket, but they were tight and disciplined, slowing the run rate to under three and limiting Sussex to 147-0 at tea.

Orr reached three figures when he glanced Harry Podmore to third man for four and was finally out when he cut Singh to backward point and was caught by Dan Lincoln, having faced 254 balls over nearly five hours.

Harrison Ward made six when he drove Quinn to Kuhn, who took a two-handed catch at point and the scoring rate slowed to 2.8 during the evening session, only nudging back over three when Travis Head hit sixes from successive balls in the 90th over, followed by two fours.

Quinn then had Haines lbw in the third last over of the day, ending a painstaking innings of 233 balls and 354 minutes.

Head and Oliver Carter were unbeaten on 29 and 15 respectively at stumps.

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