KENT’S first ever 'Kolpac signing' Martin van Jaarsveld eclipsed Rob Key as the county’s leading scorer this season on the opening day of Kent’s championship match with Glamorgan at sun-kissed Sophia Gardens.

The right-hander from Klerksdorp, who celebrates his 31st birthday on Saturday week, edged past Key just before tea in Cardiff and went on to reach 174 not out, his top score for Kent, out an opening day total of 357 for seven.

On a sublime day when the players were forced to lie on the ground while a swarm of bees passed overhead, the cricket had almost a bygone feel to it as Glamorgan used spinners in tandem and van Jaarsveld batted wearing a cap.

Kent recovered from the loss of both openers inside the first six overs to near their second batting bonus point by tea as van Jaarsveld marched on.

Slipper David Fulton started the day by winning the toss and making the decision to drop overseas all-rounder Justin Kemp in favour of off-spinner James Tredwell, who came in for his season’s debut.

Simon Cook was rested allowing Martin Saggers to return as Fulton continued the process of rotating his new ball bowlers.

Sadly, Fulton’s input into the rest of the day lasted one delivery as he played outside a David Harrison off-cutter to feather an inside edge to keeper Mark Wallace.

Five overs later Key middled a clip off his legs to a Darren Thomas leg-stump, half-volley only to see Andrew Davies snaffle a sharp catch to his left at square-leg.

Van Jaarsveld and Matt Walker (20) took the score on to 60 before the left-hander tossed away his wicket by airily following a Davies away-swinger to edge to slip.

The usually belligerent Darren Stevens took 28 minutes to get off the mark, but once away dominated proceedings with some powerful drives that reaped three sixes and eight fours.

He and van Jaarsveld added an attractive 144 in 33 overs but, just 20 short of his maiden Kent century, Stevens tossed his wicket away by holing out to deep mid-wicket off Robert Croft.

Niall O’Brien (16) paid the price for opening the face to Dean Cosker’s left-arm spinners by meekly steering one to slip then, soon after tea Andrew Hall (15) nibbled at a Harrison leg-cutter to give Wallace a second catch.

Amongst the dismissals van Jaarsveld became the first player this season to score four first-class centuries in reaching three figures from 168 balls and with 13 fours.

Tredwell, who was made makeshift opener on his last Kent appearance in 2004, showed decent technique on his 2005 bow in making 27 for his part in a seventh wicket stand worth 57 from nine overs.

During the stand van Jaarsveld raised his 150 from 258 balls and the Kent 300 but, after seeing off 10 overs of the new ball, Tredwell played back and late on a Thomas in-swinger to go leg before.

Min Patel helped van Jaarsveld through to the close and Kent to a fourth bonus point with a plucky 16 and will hope to bat on well into day two.

SCORECARD

Kent first innings

D P Fulton c Wallace b Harrison 0
R W T Key c Davies b Thomas 6
M van Jaarsveld not out 174
M J Walker c Hemp b Davies 20
D I Stevens c Hemp b Croft 80
N J O’Brien c Elliott b Cosker 16
A J Hall c Wallace b Harrison 15
J C Tredwell lbw b Thomas 27
M M Patel not out